


Ventura

by fallacyofwhat



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Airplanes, Alternate Professions, Alternate Universe - College/University, Angst, Barebacking, Boats and Ships, Enemies to Lovers, Fluff, Fluff and Smut, Implied/Referenced Homophobia, M/M, Mentions of Myth & Folklore, Pilots, Sailors, Smut, Time Skips, University, lets all meet up at 8pm and beat up his ex
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-26
Updated: 2019-08-13
Packaged: 2019-12-18 07:26:11
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 11
Words: 48,447
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18245165
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fallacyofwhat/pseuds/fallacyofwhat
Summary: Junmyeon and Sehun never could stand eachother; one being airborne, the other waterborne. But is it all that is there to the story?The sky and water meet at the horizon- will Junmyeon and Sehun too someday? Will Sehun's eyes follow every airplane that crosses his path, will Junmyeon regard every harbour with longing inside his chest?





	1. Ventura/When There Were No Connections - Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> 🜁 air; triangle, vertical line  
> 🜄 water; upside-down triangle, no vertical line
> 
> mature content in later chapters.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [ventura](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DdaqFwuaY0g) by city of the sun  
> [when there were no connections](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fIuKTe-J8FE) by tides from nebula
> 
> \--
> 
> No 4. [ [McMurdo Air Station, Antarctica](https://interestingengineering.com/top-10-dangerous-airports-world) ]
> 
> Not many people travel to Antartica, which means that the airport infrastructure there is significantly lacking. This runway isn't particularly short, but it is made of slick ice which can cause planes to run askew if the landing isn't perfect. Temperatures here are below freezing on average the entire year. [...] Many months out of the year it is dark continuously, and due to the lack of lights, pilots are trained to land using night vision goggles.

_Lan Maris, August 2018, Dorm._

🜁 a.

“Jun?”  
“Yes?”  
“That’s all?”  
Junmyeon nodded quietly when he stood next to his friend in the door to his new home for the next three years. He instinctively grabbed Jared’s arm with shaky hands. Why was he so nervous? He’s a 27-year-old man, but that makes him older than the majority of the freshmen he starts with. Maybe that’s because? Because he’s almost thirty? Afraid the kids wouldn’t take him serious? Probably.

“Ed, you’ll stay the night, won’t you?”  
“Do you really think I’ll drive back for four hours now? I’ll stay for two days, if it’s okay with you, since I took off three days. That way we can discover the city and maybe the uni a bit since I know you have a horrible sense of direction on the ground.”  
“Thank you,” Junmyeon laughed dryly, but he knew he was right. “The couch is okay? Since a one-meter bed won’t be comfortable for two.”  
“Yeah, you’re right. What about your roommate?”  
“According to the office, he won’t be here until next semester? Something about reconstruction measures or shit like that. And I pay less rent since I have the smaller room, and our boss somehow got me work on campus. Since I’m able to skip two whole modules for the first two semesters, or at least I can get credits accounted, due to the fact that I already had the necessary education during work and don’t need to write the exams for it.”  
“Man, I look up to you for having such willpower. So I guess you’ll start your ATPL also in the first semester?”  
“Yeah, I guess since I already have my PPL and can start right away with the theory part.”  
Jared hummed in response and flopped down on the sofa, “What should we do first?”  
“I’m hungry,” Junmyeon sat down on the bar stool at the kitchen counter. The previous tenants left most of the things in the living room and didn’t even want money for it.  
“Well,” Jared's eyes were glued to his phone, “the uni cafeteria closed like half an hour ago, but there seems to be a little cosy restaurant near your campus and they have some cocktails. The old men will go out tonight!”  
“Ed, it’s the middle of the week.”  
“Get used to it, students are already free on Thursdays, now get ready.” 

The restaurant was most definitely a location mainly visited by students; at least Junmyeon and Jared didn’t stand out like sore thumbs. After dinner, the two sat together on the bar and planned their next two days on a napkin.  
“- didn’t the chief say there’s a console in Lan Maris’ garage at the airport he needs?” Junmyeon objected.  
“Shit, you’re right. So, what if we visit the airport tomorrow and the mountains and the coast the day after?”  
“Wouldn’t it be better to pick up the console on Saturday before you drive home?”  
“Shit, you’re right again.”  
“And that’s why you’re not Chief Engineer.”  
“Thank you very much--” 

A third voice interrupted, “Uh, sorry, mind spending me a drink?” Both men turned around simultaneously, bewildered expressions on their faces, Junmyeon already had enough alcohol in his system to be bold, but Jared beat him to that, “Excuse you?” His pitch went unnaturally high, he clearly wasn’t accustomed to such behaviour, but that should be expected if you’re working in a line of field that consisted mainly of men and the women were more or less out of league. 

“My dear child, how old are you?”  
“18, why? Will you spend me a drink now?” the girl twisted a lock of hair between her fingers and chewed on gum.  
Junmyeon snorted into his drink and Jared was quick to pat his back, “Jun, for fuck’s sake.” The younger of the two tried his hardest to stifle his laughter that was about to break out.  
“See, you’re a child. I’m 32, my wife is at home with our five-year-old baby girl and pregnant with our second child. I won’t spend you a drink, and even if I wasn’t married, I wouldn’t do it either,” Jared stated matter-of-factly and the girl pulled a face at him and turned her attention towards Junmyeon. “I don’t bend that way.” 

She just blankly stared at the two men, before huffing and turning away in annoyance.  
“Wow, the last time I was hit on was- uh?”  
“Last Christmas company party, you and your wife were both pretty shit-faced drunk.”  
Jared smiled a very dumb grin of remembrance into his beer.

The bar filled itself by the minute with new people and Jared pulled Junmyeon closer to him on his bar stool.  
Junmyeon was knocked into the back by an elbow and hit his funny bone at the same time at the corner of the counter, letting out a colourful string of curse words in every language possible. 

“Oh, I’m sorry, my friend knocked into me,” a large hand settled on Junmyeon’s upper back. He turned around, face pulled in a frown, rubbing his sore elbow. “Oh shit, sorry, did you hurt yourself because of me?” the stranger sounded concerned, but somehow his facial features weren’t moving at all, despite his hand closing softly around Junmyeon’s elbow. Junmyeon was pretty sure the man was either a ventriloquist or he imagined him talking. He was taller than Junmyeon but smaller than Jared, who was towering over him with proud 2,01m. After a good look at his face, Junmyeon gulped, “No, no, I’m fine, I’m just naturally clumsy.” He twisted his arm out of the stranger’s hold and quickly turned back towards Jared, mouthing ‘Fuck, why is he so fucking good looking?’ and eyes wide. Jared, same expression on display mouthed back ‘I know, right? And the way he looked at you.’ Years of working in a loud environment made the men perfect their ability to read lips, kind of.  
‘Which look? That man looks like a statue.’  
Jared responded with a suggestive wiggle of his brows and Junmyeon used his wallet to smash it over his legs. Jared cursed out in a similar fashion Junmyeon did earlier. Both faced the stranger again, registering that he was still observing them. Junmyeon whipped his head back around, before leaning over the counter and calling for the bill. Jared and Junmyeon were gone faster than humanly possible.

🜄 w.

Sehun was stunned, he wasn’t so sure why, but he was. It might have been the sweet guy he stumbled into or the exchange between the two, which was highly suggestive. His eyes followed the duo on their escape outside and a smirk rose on his lips, but just for a split second. He bit the inside of his cheek and snorted when he averted his eyes back to his companions. It wasn’t frequent that someone piqued his interest, usually, it was the other way around. Like right now, looks like he might have company for tonight.

The boy wouldn’t leave his mind the whole evening. He probably just reached adulthood, even if his friend did look quite old, maybe he preferred older men? Sehun splashed water into his face in the bathroom, why wasn’t he leaving his thoughts? Maybe it was the way he stared up to him? He did look pissed off, but the frown was somewhat cute-- he patted his cheeks forcefully. But the second time, he still didn’t look impressed, the one he knocked into —maybe on purpose, who knows—, had the frown on his face deepen and he had his lower lip jutted out, disregarding him. That also hadn’t happen in a while. He was curious, but he definitely missed his chance. 

_The next day._

🜁 a.

“Ed, get up, we didn’t go for grocery shopping yesterday. We’re forced to go out and buy shit.”  
“Dunnwanna~” Jared mumbled into his pillow.  
Junmyeon exhaled heavily, but that exhale turned quite fast into a yawn, “You-uah, your wife called ten minutes ago.”  
“Shit.”


	2. Worlds in Collision/Storm's Coming

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [worlds in collision](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lk-r-tFhrSE) by god is an astronaut  
> [storm's coming](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1OQQFVLZddw) by desmond cheese ft roman mc
> 
> \--
> 
> [ [Facts and Strategies of Ice Breaking](https://www.maritimeherald.com/2018/facts-strategies-ice-breaking/) ]
> 
> When a ship becomes immobilized by ice, the icebreaker has to free it by breaking the ice surrounding the ship and, if necessary, open a safe passage through the ice field. In difficult ice conditions, the icebreaker can also tow the weakest ships.

_Lan Maris, March 2019, Campus_

🜄 w.

Sehun was pissed, why did they merge the dorms for the time being? And why did someone have to move together with students of the aerospace faculty? It was an open secret that the students couldn’t really stand each other. At least he didn’t really have to carry stuff to the other side of the river Maris since the previous tenant left his wardrobe and the university took it upon themselves to get their students’ belongings to the other side. The administration told him he would live together with a student in his second semester and he left him the big bedroom.

With his backpack shouldered and his box under an arm, he got the keys out of his pockets and after some trying, he found the correct one. Turning the key around, he carefully pushed the door open with his foot. But no-one could have prepared him for what he was about to witness. Strewn across the living room table were books, open folders, loose papers, a laptop and handwritten notes. His roommate, he assumed, had his head thrown back on the couch, while he was sitting on the ground, legs crossed and a pillow thrown over his face. Sehun stepped closer, careful not to startle him. Additional to all the stuff on the table were also three coffee mugs, all of them with stains of coffee, the third mug with the rest of the cold coffee in it and the coffee pot safely at the side of the couch.  
“Hey,” Sehun called out. No response. His roommate was only wearing boxer shorts, socks and a t-shirt. Sehun let his eyes rake over the male’s body. The man had a lot of scars on his legs that stood out against his slightly tanned skin he somehow managed to uphold during the winter, he also had a lot of them on his arms. His hands, on the other hand, looked calloused and chapped. He wrinkled his nose in disgust. 

Suddenly the young man shot up, looking disoriented, hair hanging into his face and Sehun realised why he didn’t hear him, since he was wearing wireless headphones. The man fumbled blindly around until he found what he was looking for, pulling his phone out from under a stack of papers and folders that miraculously didn’t knock over. Squinting at his phone, he mumbled to himself. Looking at the phone again, he let out a disgruntled noise and pulled his legs up, wobbly on his feet, knocking his knee into the coffee table and letting out a colourful string of curses, and Sehun started to realise why he thought the man was somewhat familiar.

“Hey, awake?”  
The boy stared at him confused and raked a hand through his hair, pulling it back. And yes, Sehun was sure, that was the boy he met months prior in a bar. He couldn’t really forget him since he saw him from time to time in the city.   
His eyes shot open and he cursed again “Shit, your ass was supposed to move in today? Fuck! Uh, all your things are in that room, your new room. Sorry, I would like to talk, but I have appointments.” Not even closing the door, he heard the other man get dressed in a rush, “Laptop, laptop, laptop?”  
“Here on the coffee table.”  
“Shit, thank you. Junmyeon Kim, by the way,” the boy almost bolted out of the door before he made a sharp turn around, “Keys!” One minute later he emerged back from his room, keys in hand, “I hope we can get to know each other this evening, if you want to. I have work now and I’m deeply sorry for the mess, I’ll tidy up this evening.” And off he was.

 Sehun was stunned speechless, he wouldn’t resent Junmyeon if he didn’t recognise him since it was only Sehun that had his eyes on him if he spotted him in the city or elsewhere. He strolled over to the coffee table and picked up one of the folders that was thrown across it. At first, all he saw were weird calculations and abbreviations on post-it notes he didn’t read before until he stumbled across familiar symbols such as Celsius.  
_“B: The value for the barometric lapse rate near mean sea level is 27 ft (8 m) per 1 hPa; C: To determine the true altitude/height, the following rule of thumb, called the ‘4 %-rule’, shall be used: the altitude/height changes by 4 % for each 10 °C temperature deviation from ISA; D: If no further information is given, the deviation of outside-air temp-”_ Sehun read out loud to himself. Okay, this was definitely something related to aircraft, but this sounded more like specific knowledge and to be honest, his new roommate was definitely wearing a work trouser and steel caps. He looked more of a mechanic than a pilot. Sehun usually wasn’t nosy, but he rounded the table and flopped down on the couch and flipped through the folder in hand. It was a folder full of learning objectives for the ATPL, the Airline Transport Pilot License, that’s what Sehun gathered from the front page of the folder. Junmyeon seemed to have just started the chapter about Meteorology, which was the –Sehun counted again– the eighth of thirteen chapters.

He placed the folder aside and, for the first time, looked around his new home. The decoration was sparse, a few plants here and there; the wall towards Junmyeon’s room, on the contrary, was holding a collage. Most of the photos were shots of airports, but not your usual ones and some showed him at work, probably only his legs dangling out of a turbine. Others were selfies with, what Sehun assumed, friends and coworkers, even if a lot of people definitely repeated their presence. But Sehun had to admit, Junmyeon did have a stunning smile.

Stretching, he yawned as if there wasn’t a tomorrow. Scratching his chest, he stared at the fridge; he should buy some groceries for himself. He got up and dragged himself over to the fridge, he couldn’t believe his eyes when he opened it, “I hope he eats all the time at the cafeteria, or someone definitely has a problematic eating schedule.”

After some time, Sehun finally had his room furnished, except for the bed. Either he’ll ask one of his friends or he’ll wait for Junmyeon and ask him. After he made a quick trip to the supermarket to have food for the weekend, he didn’t know what to do. Go out? Out of question, maybe later, he was already tired enough. Meeting the guys wasn’t also an option. Might just enjoy the quiet he had here, uni wouldn’t start for another month or so, or maybe he should have gone home for the time in between the terms. Nah, he will go out.

He must have fallen asleep because when he woke up, he was sprawled across the couch and heard something crashing into the door cursing, and the keys being turned around in the lock. The door was kicked open and Sehun was afraid that it would knock into the bar stools behind it, but apparently, there was a door stopper.

The door revealed a heavily breathing Junmyeon, phone between his ear and shoulder, spitting terms Sehun never heard before and talking animatedly while holding his bag and keys in one hand and balancing a package on his jutted out hip in the other hand. When he realised Sehun was observing him, he smiled widely and gave him a curt nod before coming inside and carefully closing the door with his elbow. He vanished into his room before Sehun’s eyes.

He reappeared from his room, phone in hand, in a loose long-sleeve shirt and sweatpants, and chattered quietly away. Walking over to the kitchenette, he was searching the cupboards. Apparently, he found what he was looking for, but he couldn’t reach it. A quiet chuckle spilt over Sehun’s lips while he was regarding the sight before him.  
“Ed, for fuck’s sake! Eh, eh, ‘what?’, my ass ‘what?’! Could you explain to me why you placed the casserole on the highest shelf instead of putting it into the oven where it belongs?” Sehun was about to play the knight in shining armour, but Junmyeon already put the phone on speaker, hoisting himself up and reaching for the object of desire from a sitting position. That explained why most of the cupboards were only filled on the bottom shelves, whoever was responsible for the interior design did not take into account that people aren’t usually 1,90m. Even Sehun already realised that. “I’ll call once I have information about the new software, I really need to eat now.”  
_“Kim, can’t you check the packa--”  
_“No can do, Ed. Later,” Junmyeon just hung up on the caller.

Still sitting on the top counter, he regarded Sehun, who was still sitting on the couch, with a thoughtful look, “Sorry for earlier, I’m more stressed during the time between terms than during terms, at least this semester.” Leaning his body away, he grabbed after something that wasn’t there. Letting out a noise of confusion, he looked around until his eyes narrowed on the object he was looking for. Sliding off the counter, he made his way over to the coffee table, grabbing all three mugs. “Coffee?”  
“Uh, sure,” Sehun checked his watch, he still had two hours until he decided to meet up with his mates.  
“And I’m terribly sorry, I’ll tidy up in a minute.”  
“It’s alright, don’t know if you study on weekends, but I’m out later.” “Ah, okay,” the colour drained from Junmyeon’s voice unbeknownst to Sehun.

Junmyeon sat on one of the couch cushions on the ground and stared up at Sehun, coffee mug in his hands. “Have we met before?”  
“Not that I’m aware,” Sehun chuckled, but he was very aware of the fact that they met before. Maybe it was the dim lighting in the bar or the alcohol, but Sehun was somewhat bummed he didn’t leave a lasting impression.  
“I feel like I saw your face before, don’t know, maybe in the city? Oh, we didn’t really introduce ourselves earlier. I’m Junmyeon, studying aircraft construction, concentration on engine and undercarriage, 27 years of age, almost 28, and second semester.”  
“You’re 27?!”  
“Ehm, yes? And you are?”  
“25, next month.”  
“And you call me old, I can’t believe it. I work with people twice your age.” Junmyeon was squinting at him before he rubbed his eyes. He lowered his head under the table and came back up with glasses in his hands, “And I forgot you guys at home today.” He sighed. “Alright, Sehun, you’re almost 25 and you do what?”  
“I study International Ship Management and I’m at the end of my third semester since we have a different semester cycle.”  
“Oh, ISSM? Do you plan to work as mate later on?”  
Sehun raised an eyebrow, he didn’t expect that, “How’d you know that?”  
“A friend of mine works as Chief Mate on a freighter.” Interesting, maybe his deduction was a bit jumpy.  
“Sehun, do I have something on my face?”  
“Oh, sorry, I did space out for a bit.” That never happens.  
“Yeah, you do that a lot? At least from what I saw today?” Junmyeon cautiously prodded on the topic.  
“Oh, ha, might be the move today. By the way, sorry for asking, but could you help me with my bed? I couldn’t build it alone.”  
“Sure,” he received a blinding, but tired smile.

🜁 a.

Once Sehun was out of earshot and closed the apartment door behind himself, Junmyeon let out a frustrated groan and flopped down on his carpet.  
“Why, Jesus fucking Christ, why him?” he covered his face and groaned into his hands again. It was a wonder he didn’t forget those damn attractive and unmoving eyebrows. He had the sudden urge to bite into something to release his stress. Now he doesn’t have the apartment to himself alone anymore and he has to sleep with the door closed. He already heard his fair share about Oh Sehun, even in the aerospace faculty. That would be funny. Junmyeon blindly grabbed his phone and held it up to his eyes.

 

 

> Nik?  
>  You home? 19:54

Jun, what is it? 20:13

 

> Can I come over real quick?  
>  Have some time and maybe  
>  earplugs? 20:13

i smell some tea 🍵  
i have, come over for a beer or two  
that bloke isn’t here so no one  
who gets on your nerves 20:19

 

> On my way 20:19

_Later._

Junmyeon was doomed, living together with one of the most well-known playboys in Lan Maris, at least on the university level. He should have enjoyed his quiet life while he was still alone, but no amount of semesters would have been enough to prepare him for that. Oh Sehun. He shook his head when he was back on the way to his dorm room. Good thing Nikita only lived down the hallway. Junmyeon felt a little tipsy, but not enough to say he was on a good way to be drunk. More like the lightheadedness after your first few beers, when it’s still tasty. Before he jammed the key into the lock, he put his ear against the door and tried to listen. Good, seemed like Sehun wasn’t there yet. It was just shortly before twelve and he still hasn’t tidied up the couch table he was reminded of when he opened the door.

Junmyeon didn’t know how late or early it was when he jolted awake, but he didn’t sleep enough. Listening into the silence, he heard someone on the front door. He almost jumped out of the bed, but decided against it and crept towards his door. Looking around, he actually found his baseball bat behind the door. He heard giggling and some incoherent mumbles, one definitely belonging to a woman and Junmyeon felt sick to his stomach. Sehun can’t be for real; the first night, not even 24 hours in his new temporary home, and he had already brought over a girl. Once he heard the other bedroom door close, Junmyeon loosened his grip on his bat and shuffled back to his bed, using the earplugs. He already hated Sehun, maybe even if it wasn’t justified, he wanted to give him a chance, but bringing someone over on the first night, without asking first?

_The following day, 07:27._

Junmyeon stood in the kitchen and was brewing some coffee for himself. He didn’t sleep much after his fellow lodger came home at 04:38, Junmyeon did check his phone. Three hours sleep in total, but at least he had no work on Sunday. But regarding the situation, he might visit the garage nonetheless. He realised he was wearing only shorts and a sleeveless top, but why was he feeling so self-conscious suddenly? “I want to be alone again,” he muttered into the blackness of his coffee and slurp loudly; he was feeling dispirited today.  
“You want what?” Sehun was suddenly behind him, standing too close to him for his personal taste and grabbing a mug from the cupboard, and if that wasn’t already enough, he wasn’t wearing a shirt and only boxer shorts, “You have some coffee left?” Sehun didn’t really sound sober, but what to expect after around three hours? Junmyeon remained silent and just gave way to the coffee pot and removed himself from the small kitchenette, avoiding any contact with Sehun. That man made him extremely uncomfortable. Leaving his cup on the coffee table, he slipped into his room to throw over a shirt or sweater. He didn’t see Sehun’s curious and questioning gaze on him when he was dressing in front of his watchful and prying eyes. “Why’d you change?”  
“I’m cold,” which was an obvious lie to Junmyeon, but Sehun didn’t have to know. He gulped down his coffee and thought about a way to leave the dorm. Suddenly, running on a Sunday morning sounded like the best idea he had in the longest time. Retreating back into his room, this time closing the door, he changed quickly into his running clothes. Shortly after he left his room and pulled his fringe back with a hairclip - he should really cut his hair sometime.

“Oh, you’re going for a run? Mind if I accompany you?”  
Junmyeon stared at him and thought about sugarcoating his answer, but he wasn’t in the mood. “Yes, I do mind.” He let that settle in and observed Sehun’s face contortion closely, biting back a sneer. Seems like his flatmate wasn’t used to such blunt refusal, “I don’t usually run together with people, and don’t you have a visitor?” He emphasised ‘visitor’ when he pointed his chin towards Sehun’s room.  
“Oh, were we too loud?” Sehun raised an eyebrow and sounding like he wanted to test the waters. Was he aware of the fact that Junmyeon finds him attractive? He hoped that it wasn’t the case, “No, I just jolted awake because someone was too drunk, or dumb,” he mumbled the last words to himself, but loud enough for Sehun to decipher what he said, “to use his keys properly. We’ll talk later, we need to establish a few rules while living together, c’est compris?” Sehun was stunned silent.  
Junmyeon almost ripped the door open but squeaked suddenly. Sehun was pulled out of his trance and leaned over the counter to see what happened at the door.   
A bulky man leaned into the door and was definitely holding onto the upper door frame, he was massive in height, “Jun, great, you’re awake. I came to pick you up for a run and breakfast later.”  
Junmyeon closed his eyes and massaged the bridge of his nose, “For fuck’s sake! Nikita!” His cover was blown as well, ‘ _I don’t usually run with people._ ’ Great, Nikita, just great. Nikita just continued pulling his big cheeky grin on him, still holding himself up on the doorframe, “Oh, you cleaned up, are you on your period?” Looking around, he finally spotted Sehun and let out an _‘oh’_ . “That’s him?” he jerked his head into the direction of Sehun. “Yes, that’s Sehun.” Nikita just let an ‘ah’ and nodded slowly. “Nice to meet you, Oh Sehun, I’m Nikita. You’ll see more of me in this dorm, just warning you ahead of time. Let’s go, Jun. Oh.”  
“Later, Sehun.”

🜄 w.

Sehun was left alone with his hungover mind. That was weird. The first day Junmyeon seemed to be the nicest guy on campus, the next day he’s spitting venom like there’s no tomorrow. And it seemed like Sehun’s reputation already reached this faculty as well, but that wouldn’t be a problem. Junmyeon also seemed to be a more interesting person than Sehun thought at first. But seems like his flatmate was even harder to handle than women, but he couldn’t understand the sudden hate that was presented. Wasn’t yesterday a relatively nice day compared to today? Or was he jealous? He turned around towards his room, peeking his head in, “You’re leaving now.” It wasn’t a question.


	3. Empyrean Glow / Infinite Horizons

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [empyrean glow](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S5cGF6YMDrU) by god is an astronaut  
> [infinite horizons](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RvloMFBffn4) by god is an astronaut
> 
> \--
> 
> [ [53 facts about airplanes: no. 30](https://thefactfile.org/airplanes-facts/) ]
> 
> The world’s longest non-stop flight was achieved by Singapore airlines A350-900 ULR while flying from Singapore to New York. The aircraft covered 9,537 miles [15,348.31 km] in 17 hours and 25 minutes. The aircraft is fitted with Rolls Royce Trent XWB turbofan jet engines.
> 
> Warnings: mentions of past abusive relationship

_Lan Maris, May 22, 2019, Coastal Area._

🜁 a.

Two months, two fucking months and Junmyeon was fed up as hell. He didn’t know how or why, but the atmosphere always shifted from one week to another and so did the balance between Sehun and him. Sehun could be unsuspectingly nice and sweet from time to time but the next week? Maybe it depended on how bad the sex was? Junmyeon snorted into his beer. The rules were set up simple; if Sehun was so keen to have guests over for his pleasure, Junmyeon was okay with it, but not all the time and not three times in a row with at least two different people. Junmyeon needed his sleep, but since they lived together, his sleeping habits turned worse. He studied for his ATPL mostly in the library since he never knew what would surprise him at home and it was for his own sanity. He still thought that Sehun was damn attractive, but the dislike for his personality was slowly taking over. Junmyeon really wants to give him a chance; from what he had heard, they would probably live together for another year at least.

It was Junmyeon’s 28th birthday that day and he sat alone in the middle of the day at the coast and was drinking. What a great life he had. Just wonderful. Sometimes he hated himself for having only one ‘real’ friend in university; he always had the feeling he was imposing and depending too much on Nikita and he wouldn’t count Sehun as a friend yet, sometimes even an acquaintance was too much.

He let some music blare from his Bluetooth speakers and stared out onto the sea. But why did looking out to the sea make him reminiscent of the sky? He really missed flying, maybe he should ask the local flight school if it was possible to rent a small plane. He heard the school even has some nice double deckers.

“Ah, for fuck's sake,” he groaned out loud. He really should get a grip on himself; he had already skipped his lectures today, but at least he didn't skip the lab this morning, which would have been a problem. And his mother called as well, first thing in the morning, and it soothed his soul to hear her voice again. It has been a few years since he broke off with his father after he had his coming out. Homophobic dickhead. It was so bad that his mother even got a divorce since the strict Catholic ass of a father blamed her that his son was an abomination, his older brother as well. His father even went out of his way calling her and Junmyeon’s religious beliefs of Buddhism a cause too. Junmyeon felt bad leaving her alone when he moved out to pursue his studies and to become a pilot. Even if he was pursuing the same career path as his father, the love for his mother and the air was stronger than the one for his father. He pulled out her photo he always carried around with him from when he had moved out since his mother lived on the other end of the country. Man, he was really sentimental that day.

Junmyeon looked down at his feet where his empty bottles were; he had left two untouched. It should be enough for him.

He couldn’t have reacted faster, after hearing the strum of a guitar before the singer began. He didn’t care, he was alone, and he sang along. The alcohol already made him feel less restricted and he just enjoyed the moment.  
At some point he more or less stopped singing, just moving his upper body to the music and using his beer bottle as a microphone. The song ended and one of his favourite bands came next and he just let his body feel the rhythm. Getting up from the dyke, he skipped down the stones and stepped his foot onto the sand, dancing alone. Also, a reason why he never went out, people were too judgemental these days. He felt like crying, he didn’t know why; it was neither tears of joy, nor sadness that was overtaking him, he just wanted to cry.

He stopped and just stared out to the wide sea, just taking in the sheer endlessness of the ocean.

“-myeon?” Junmyeon had a feeling he was called, but he wasn’t sure. His vision, eyes unfocused on an unknown point at the horizon, got more hazy by the second, blurred by the appearance of heavy tears. He stepped back, blindly, and stumbled into an obstacle.

🜄 w.

Sehun didn’t know what to make of it, when he saw his flatmate at the coastal area, even less sure when he saw him standing there with a bottle of beer down the dyke. He called to him a few times, but the older didn’t react in any way to his name. Sehun contemplated if he should just walk on and leave him, but something told him to check on Junmyeon.

Stepping up behind him, Sehun called his name again the moment Junmyeon stepped back. When he bumped into him, Sehun was quick to react and stabilise him. His breath hitched in his throat when Junmyeon turned around to look at him, tears welling up in his eyes. “K-Kim?” The empty bottle jumbled into the sand, when Junmyeon almost tackled Sehun and hid in his chest, sorrowful cries emerging from his throat. Sehun was dumbfounded and didn’t know what to do, so he did the next thing that came to his mine and circled his arms around the smaller frame of Junmyeon.

Sehun really didn’t know what to do, “Hey, Kim, what happened?” But he wouldn’t give an answer, just weeping in response. He looked around and saw his flatmate’s phone, his speakers and several empty beer bottles placed between the stones of the dyke. That might explain the outburst of emotions right now. He tried coaxing Junmyeon into the directions of the stones, but Junmyeon wouldn’t budge a centimetre and his legs gave away. Holding him up, Sehun made him sit down slowly on the sand. He crouched before him and looked up at him. He had a runny nose, red eyes and was crying, but Sehun had a feeling Junmyeon was staring right through him and it made him unspeakably uncomfortable. He was used to being glared at or at least receiving a curt smile, but this wasn’t something he liked. He cupped Junmyeon’s jaw and made him look up, “Junmy-, Jun. Hey-” he made his voice as soft as possible, “What’s up?” The nickname seemed to do the trick. Junmyeon wiped his eyes dry of tears with the sleeves of his shirt, reddening the skin under his eyes. He blinked a few times, his eyes slowly refocusing.  
“Se-, Sehun?” his voice cracked painfully and new tears welled up in his eyes.  
“Hey, hey, just because you’re seeing my beautiful face doesn't mean you need to cry,” Sehun cringed at himself, but Junmyeon let out a soft chuckle, rubbing at his eyes again, “Sorry you had to see that. I should go home.” Sehun was surprised since Junmyeon spoke clearly, no indication of consuming alcohol.  
“No, you’ll stay here and calm down first, I’ll stay here as well if you’re okay with it.” Junmyeon looked around, standing up on wobbly legs -Sehun’s hands hovered outstretched near him- when he got up and tried collecting his belongings, as well as the two, leftover beers, but gave up. Sniffling his nose, he offered one beer to Sehun, who declined, “It’s my birthday, do as I say. Thank you very much.”  
Sehun lifted an eyebrow at him. Well, apparently the alcohol was already working under the surface since he never experienced his flatmate being that bossy, except when he was super pissed, or after the first night, where he was probably pissed as well.

Checking the time, Sehun realised it was already past four in the afternoon, so beer would be okay, even if it was the middle of the week. When he took the beer out of Junmyeon’s hold, the latter searched his pockets until he found a flimsy old cotton handkerchief and blew his nose. Sehun’s face distorted in disgust, which wasn’t slipping Junmyeon’s eyes, “If you think this is disgusting, get lost, did you ever think about the plastic waste in the ocean and the overuse of paper blowrags?”  
“Uh, well, ehm, no, not really.”  
“See.”  
“Wait, is that why you use mainly glass bottles and have like three metal lunch boxes?”  
“If I already pollute the air I should at least do something on earth, don’t you think?” Sehun just stared at his flatmate whom he never really had a decent conversation with yet. He realised he knew nothing about him, not even that his birthday was that day.

“So, uhm, you’re 28 no-” “You know what’s pissing me off about you?” Both spoke at the same time, Junmyeon huffed, “Yes, I’m 28 now. Great deduction you made there, I applaud you.” He dryly clapped his hands. Sehun never experienced him like that, it was like he was Junmyeon’s evil twin.  
“Who are you and what did you do to my sweet flatmate Junnie?”  
“Sweet, oh please, what flattery,” he didn’t sound flattered at all, “Do I have to be always the happy-go-lucky guy? Can’t I have a shit day once in a while? But thank you for calling me sweet, you’ll probably regret that later on. And don’t ever call me Junnie again.” he mumbled and Sehun didn’t pry further. It wasn’t his place too.

Sehun sat down next to Junmyeon on the stones, eyeing the cap of the beer, when he heard a ‘plop’ next to him and Junmyeon offered him the opened bottle he had in hand, taking the sealed one from him. He stared out on the open sea and Sehun finally took his sweet time to observe his flatmate. Junmyeon had a faint scar high on his cheekbone right under his right eye that stretched quite far, but it was almost invisible when he was wearing glasses.  
“When did you dye your hair back?”  
Junmyeon shot him a look that was screaming ‘are you fucking kidding me’ and huffed again, “Last week.”  
“Oh.”  
“And can you stop staring at me? It makes me uncomfortable and there’s nothing to look at,” he was obviously playing nervously with the lighter he still had in hand from opening the beer and he shot Sehun some weird looks from time to time.  
“I think you’re nice to look at and the dark hair actually kinda suits you more,” Sehun objected and reached out to tug softly at a loose strand of Junmyeon’s hair, who ducked his head a second too late and he was unable to hide the soft red at the tips of his ears when the wind blew the hair out of his face. “Don’t touch and shut the fuck up, I just want to enjoy the quietness,” he hissed.  
“Happy Birthday, Myeon,” Sehun whispered.

“You should that do more often.”  
“What?”  
“Smiling, it suits you better than your stoic visage.” This time it was Sehun’s turn to feel surprised, “So, you think I’m good looking?” Sehun tried to lift the mood. “Don’t get ahead of yourself, I did not say that, Oh.” “But you thought it.”  
“Sehun, please. I still only consider us acquaintances.”  
“Sorry.”  
“But I’d like to get to know you better, it feels uncomfortable living together like that. If you're okay with it.”

The two talked for a while, trying to finally get acquantainced. Junmyeon, suddenly, had two miniature shots dangling between his fingers, “Let’s drink on this shit day today.” He stood up and turned towards Sehun, a sombre expression on his face, “I’d be like friends with you, to be honest, and if you would like to. If not, well, it’s fine too. Gotta accept that, you know?” He drank the shot and his expression turned disgusted for a split second and Sehun realised why, the shot burned its way down his throat, “Sure, but only if you explain to me what it is that’s pissing you off about me.”  
“Forget what I said, I prefer us not to be friends anymore.”

🜁 a.

Just earlier was the first time Junmyeon saw Sehun smile, he believed the alcohol and the surroundings made him hallucinate. But he didn’t like the smirk that was forming on Sehun’s lips, even if he was more used to it.  
“Sehun, no. Whatever you’re thinking about, just no. We’re not familiar enough with each other to pull stunts on one another. Do you understand that?” Junmyeon glared at him with a raised index finger. Sehun’s smirk was the only deepening. “Sehun, seriously. I don’t want to break your bones, are we clear?” Seemed like Sehun got the message and his face fell. Junmyeon walked up to him and collected his things and put them into the backpack. “If you don’t mind, I’d still like some time for myself.”  
“Kim, I think we should get home, I think the alcohol is finally starting to settle in for you.”  
“Concerned?”  
“No.” Sehun huffed out, irritated.  
“Alright, let’s get going. I’m stuck with ‘Design’ first thing in the morning tomorrow and right after that, damned practice. It’s not like I had to work with technical drawings for almost eight years,” muttered Junmyeon to himself.  
“Sounds like a pain in the ass to me.”  
“What are you doing in your fourth now?”  
“Well, since we only have like five modules for each semester and the uni somehow managed to get every mod its own weekday, it’s ‘Ship’s Theory II’ tomorrow. Wait, aren’t you at ‘Meteorology’ or are you at a different subject already?”

“Nah, I started with ‘General Navigat-’, wait, how do you know that?”  
“I might have inspected the mess you left on the first day when I moved in.”  
Junmyeon felt his ear tips turning red from embarrassment. He knew he wasn’t the tidiest person on earth, but he took that jab personally. He grabbed his things and skipped up the dyke and power walked towards the next bus stop. Unfortunately, Sehun was quick to close in with his long legs, much to Junmyeon’s dismay. “I’m sorry, Junmyeon. I know I shouldn’t have looked through your things, but, well, I was curious what you did and since the living room is usually a shared room-”  
“I get it, Sehun,” he shut him up, he knew he shouldn’t be so harsh, but he didn’t really care that day. “Sehun, would you do me a favour today?” Sehun hummed in response while checking the arrival/departure board for the bus. “No ‘visitors’ today. I really need to sleep without interruptions once in a while, or at least not in our dorm, alright?” Sehun whipped his head around and stared with round eyes at him. “Sehun, I swear, Sunday? The young boy? It was three in the morning, you dickhead. I had classes at eight! Ah! Don’t even think about apologising.”  
“He was that l-”  
“Yes! Now shut up. And you don’t need to look, the next bus will be here in fifteen.”

An awkward silence settled between them and Junmyeon walked away and down the bus stop, feeling Sehun’s stare bore into his back. He stopped in his tracks, before giving Sehun a dirty look and patting his pockets. He was surprised, he seriously brought his rolling tobacco. Just the thing he needed right now.  
“You’re smoking?”  
“Yes, I do. Problem?”  
“No. I just never took you for the type to drink during the day and smoke, you know?”  
“Well, you learned the opposite today,” he smiled at Sehun, but he knew his smile wasn’t reaching his eyes. He started to feel extremely uncomfortable under Sehun’s stare since the man had such a stoic face, it was seriously pissing him off. Having the rolled cigarette between his lips, lighter in hand, he stared at Sehun. Inhaling the toxic smoke, he released it through his nostrils, “It’s your fucking stoic face that’s pissing me off and your nightly guests. Satisfied?” Sehun seemed to be at a loss for words and didn’t say anything more. Great, Junmyeon was in a bad mood again, he hated himself for that.

🜄 w.

Sehun was really at a loss for words. The man who was clouding his thoughts since the first time they met probably hated him, that’s at least what he gathered so far. He never tried to get further with Junmyeon, but apparently, his maybe overly active sex life might minimise his chances with Junmyeon. He knew he was attracted to him, more on a sexual level, but it hurt nonetheless. Should he apologise? But that may just add fuel to the fire and he felt like it wouldn’t really lift Junmyeon’s mood.


	4. Vex / Bury Your Flame

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> warning: talks about past abusive relationship
> 
> \--
> 
> [vex](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LzR0xouSkO8) by alexisonfire  
> [bury your flame](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fA1reeJ1NRo) by la dispute
> 
> \--
> 
> [ [As the Crow Flies](https://www.offshoresailing.com/sailing-trivia-for-savvy-sailors/amp/) ]
> 
> The most direct route from one place to another without detours. Before modern navigational systems existed, British vessels customarily carried a cage of crows. These birds fly straight to the nearest land when released at sea, thus indicating where the nearest land was.

_ Lan Maris, early June 2019, Engineering Mechanics: Practice. _

🜁 a.

“He did what?” Nikita stared flabbergasted at Junmyeon, “Five people in the last two weeks since your birthday?”  
“Just the times in our dorm. No idea what he’s up to in the meantime. I mean I’d really like to know him better but at this rate, we’re back to square one. I would partially blame my mood on my birthday, but he isn’t even lifting a finger to change that as well.”  
“I-” Nikita was interrupted. “Kim, there’s someone waiting outside for you, one of those maritime pricks asked for you,” a fellow student walked up to them, looking quite displeased. “Maritime pricks?”  
“He looks Asian as well, guess you know him,” he just walked away.  
“Racist bitch,” Nikita commented under his breath, “Sounds like Sehun, don’t you think so too? At least that’s the only student from that faculty we know.” Junmyeon hummed in response; why should Sehun look for him? “I’ll check that.”  
He strolled over to the door and looked outside and yes, it was actually Sehun waiting for him, “Sehun?” He wasn’t sure, but Sehun looked somewhat relieved to see him; he stopped fidgeting, “You guys don’t like us here a lot, do you?”  
“As if you guys are better. What did I do that fate blessed me with your presence?”  
“Cut that sarcasm, Kim.”  
“Then speak up, I don’t have all the time.”  
“Someone’s feisty today.”  
“Cut it, Oh.”

“Sorry, sorry. Ehm, well, uh, may sound a little weird, but I’d like to invite you for a late birthday dinner today?”  
“Huh?”  
“Uh, dinner? You and me? I’m paying?” Junmyeon stared flabbergasted at his roommate who attacked him with such a proposal. “Wait, forget what I s-”  
“Sure, I’d actually like to,” he saved himself from the stunned silence.  
“What?”  
“I said ‘yes’, dumbass. You can pick me up at seven. We should be finished by then since we’re working longer today,” Junmyeon couldn’t hide his smile, that was unexpected news.  
“Wait, you’re okay with me inviting you for dinner?”  
“Sure, why not. Why should I decline when you’re inviting me?”  
“I thought you’d hate me?”  
“Hate is a strong word, Oh. Pick me up at seven. Main entrance. Seems like we have a lot to talk about. Later,” Junmyeon turned around, giving Sehun no room to object.

Nikita bore his eyes into Junmyeon, when he came back, “Kim, you're beaming, I don't like that. What did he say?”  
“He invited me for a late birthday dinner.”  
“Why you beaming, tho?”  
“Aren't I allowed to feel good about being invited by good-looking fellow?”  
“What about me?”  
“You're straight as a pole, dude.”  
“Ouch, that hurts. If it's getting awkward, give me a call, alright?” 

🜄 w.

Sehun patted his cheeks a few times. Junmyeon accepted, that means he doesn’t hate him? Good thing that Jun’s timetable is pinned on his corkboard outside his room, otherwise Sehun wouldn’t have known where to find him. He realised that this faculty wasn’t as big as he thought it’d be. Walking towards the main entrance he actually spotted a few faces he knew and he tried to stay low.  
“Sehun? What are you doing here?” _Shit_.  
“Oh, hey, didn’t see you there. I was visiting someone.”  
“Visiting someone? Don’t tell me you’re trying to settle down. If not, we can hook up again.”  
“Ha, no, no. Anyway, gotta go. Bye.” Why was it often for guys to be so damn clingy? Probably because the rate of guys interested in the same gender was low and he still didn’t know how to rank Junmyeon in it. He had a feeling there might be more since Junmyeon often times stayed overnight at Nikita’s place, or was it because of him?

He jogged up to the bus station since he still had his lecture about ‘Cargo Handling’ that day. And maybe he should ask one of the girls where to eat; he should have thought about that earlier and not after walking up to his flatmate and asking if he wanted to go out. Acting on impulse was never doing anything good for him.

He wasn’t really paying attention to what the professor said since he was debating with one of his friends which restaurant would be better without revealing who he invited.

🜁 a.

Junmyeon had to get rid of Nikita before Sehun arrived and it was in his favour that he said seven instead of six, since the practice took longer than predicted. It was six thirty when he stood together with Nikita outside the building. “Nik, you know, well, I don’t know about Sehun, but I actually met him for the first time the day I moved in.”  
“Really?”  
“Yes, at the restaurant I went to with my best friend. I’m pretty sure I talked about Jared.”  
“Oh, the dude I’m practically jealous of because he’s known you for nine years and I only know you for a year. Yes, unfortunately, I do.”  
Junmyeon hit him into the chest, laughing, “Sorry, but I’m his daughter’s godfather. Step up your game and we can talk about it again, but you’d be just number four after all.”  
“Who do I have to fight?” Nikita took a fighting stance. Junmyeon tried his hardest, but he couldn’t help but crack up, “Well, you have to go up against my mother, Jared and my previous boss.”  
“Shit, and if you’ll ever have a boyfriend I’ll be banned to place five.”  
“Bugger off, Sehun will be here in fifteen.”  
“Well, I have to mark my territory so he won’t pull stupid shit.”  
“Nikita, I appreciate your effort, but I’m older than you by seven years. I don’t need someone to ‘mark their territory’, but remember, you’ll always be my little brother, so you’re number four in the ranking.”  
“I’ll remind you. You should find out why he invited you today and please, for once, don’t be cocky, alright? Maybe you’re the one to change Oh Sehun.”  
“I doubt that, but I’ll promise to restrict myself.”  
“Very well then,” Nikita said and hug Junmyeon tightly, the smaller definitely appreciating the warmth and affection the younger was showing since day one, “See you later, big brother. Wait don’t you Koreans have a special term for that?”  
“Oppa?” Junmyeon asked with a wink.  
“Hell no, I know from my sister that’s what girls call you. It was something with H?”  
“Hyung?”  
“Yes, hyung! See you later, hyung.”  
Junmyeon blew Nikita a kiss when he was descending down the stairs, who caught it, “I hope you take birth control, hyung!”  
“Nikita Jones!”  
“Love you!”  
“Fuck you!” Junmyeon waved him until he was out of sight and sunk down on the stairs, searching his pockets, he found his tobacco. Starting smoking in uni again was the worse idea he had, but at least it functioned somewhat as a stress reducer and right now he was stressed as hell. Why would Sehun invite him for dinner? It didn’t make sense at all to him.

🜄 w.

Sehun caught a bus early from his site of town and made his trip on the other side of the river, where the main campus was. He was agitated, nervous, frustrated. He still wasn’t sure why he invited Junmyeon for dinner.

Walking towards the main entrance of the faculty, he saw Junmyeon sitting on the stairs, staring off into the distance. He always thought smoking was incredibly disgusting but he felt different about Jun doing it. Did it make him sexier? Sehun felt weird. This wouldn’t take a good turn, he knew it.  
“Kim!” he shouted, still a good distance away from the male. Contrary to his assumption, the male was quick to look up and and jerk his head in the direction from where Sehun called him. Spotting him, he sprung up and discarded of his cigarette, just to meet with him halfway. “Sehun, you’re early.”  
“You seem to be excited.”  
“Sure, why shouldn’t I?”  
“You’re suspicious.”  
“Shouldn’t I say that about you? You’re the one to come to my faculty and invite me for dinner.”  
Sehun frowned and nodded his head in confirmation, Junmyeon was right. But maybe it was time to test the waters, “Nikita is okay with me taking you out?”  
“What has he to do with it?” His brows drew together and it was somewhat adorable in Sehun’s eyes, “Isn’t he, dunno, like your boy-”  
“Ahh!” Junmyeon whole face lit up like a Christmas tree and his eyes crinkled into little crescents and he laughed out loud out the most melodious laugh Sehun probably ever heard. “No, no, we’re not together.” The corners of his eyes were still crinkled when he glanced up at Sehun, still smiling and Sehun had to stop himself from reaching up and cupping Junmyeon’s face. “You’re beautiful,” he breathed out and Junmyeon tilted his head to his side, narrowing his eyes on Sehun, his smile fading. Shit, he did say that out loud.  
“Sehun, you’re weird today,” Junmyeon wrung his hands before his body and turned around, starting to walk away. “Where are we going?”  
Did Sehun do something wrong or was Junmyeon not taking him seriously? Well, he could understand, he had quite the active sex life.  
“To be honest, I have no idea. I don’t even know what compelled me to invite you in the first place.” “Huh,” Junmyeon whipped his body around and Sehun had to reach out, saving his roommate from running into a bench. “Are you kidding me?”

🜁 a.

Junmyeon stared incredulous up at Sehun who looked like a deer in the headlights. Great, apparently it was truly just out of pity, just as he feared. “Maybe we should really forget about it, just as you mentioned earlier.” Junmyeon felt tears prickling at the corners of his eyes and he turned around, busying himself with patting his pockets for his cigarettes, blinking the tears away. Why was he so damn sensitive about shit like that? Why was he such a crybaby? “I’m taking my leave first,” he muttered, but before he could do another step he’s pulled back. “Junmyeon, see, I’m sorry, it’s just that I’m bad with talks like this.” Junmyeon refused to look up and kept his eyes lowered. “I know I’m not the best flatmate-”  
“That’s for sure.”  
“-I, Junmyeon, please don’t rub salt into the wound, I’m trying to be sincere here and let me finish.”  
“Only if you give me some space,” Junmyeon was still in Sehun’s death grip. Sehun apologised and let go of him. Reluctantly, as it seemed, Junmyeon detached himself from Sehun. He lit his cigarette and exhaled deeply, finally looking at Sehun.  
“Alright,” Sehun spoke up again, “I want to start new with you. I know nothing about you, except superficial stuff, and you probably know nothing about me, except the stuff everyone knows. I’m Sehun Oh, 25, studying International Study Course Ship Management, short ISSM, in my fourth semester now. I aspire to be a Second Mate later one. I want to be friends with you.”  
Junmyeon grabbed his outstretched hand, gripping it firmly, putting more force into it than necessary, “Junmyeon Kim, 28. I’m in my second semester, Aircraft Construction. I’m also attempting my modular ATPL, my Airline Transport Pilot License. I want to be a pilot later on.” He let go of Sehun’s hand.  
“Why do you do it modular if you could just visit the course here? I never asked before,” Sehun inclined his head.  
“Because my engineering has priority, I’m already working in this job for around nine years.”  
Junmyeon didn’t realise that they actually started walking towards the city, until they left the premises.

“Can I call you Myeon or Jun?” Junmyeon was taken aback but nodded nonetheless. “Myeon, you’re still working, you said? Is that why you’re so seldom at the apartment on the weekends?”  
“How you’d now that? You’re never home on the weekends?”  
“Apparently I’m always at home on the weekends while you’re away?” Sehun cutely tilted his head, regarding Junmyeon with nothing but serious interest.  
“Ah, yeah, I work during the week at the uni besides my studies and on the weekends I usually spend my time at the airport, working there part-time as well.”  
“And you still have time to study for your ATPL?” Sehun placed a hand on his shoulder, pulling him closer since the city was quite packed at that hour, Junmyeon didn’t know how to feel about it and he gripped the strap of his backpack a bit tighter.  
“I’m able to skip a lot due to my work experience, that’s why I’m trying to finish the theory during my first two semesters and since I already got my Private Pilot License when I was sixteen, I already accumulated enough hours as PIC for later modules.” He let his feet drag him to his usual restaurant of choice. They should be kind of undisturbed there since he knew that Sehun’s playdates were usually more outgoing people.  
“PIC, what’s that?”  
“Pilot in Command,” he lightly nudged Sehun into the side to direct him into his desired direction. The streets were less filled than the main street and the secondary business streets.  
“Where are we going?”  
“I hope you don’t mind limited food choices, an impressive amount of alcohol, smoking areas and live music.”

He detached himself from Sehun when he neared his destination, still feeling uncomfortable with Sehun’s closeness. “We’re here.”

🜄 w.

The bar seemed to be full, as far as Sehun could see, but it had a nice cosy vibe, dark wood as far as the eye could see, furniture that wasn’t matching and dimmed light, soft murmurs from other patrons. Somewhere someone was playing the piano and people playing the guitar. He liked it. It had a vibe he could get used to, majorly different from the usual locations he frequented.

Junmyeon before him, on the other hand, wasn’t standing still. He moved his shoulders to the music and moved softly his feets forwards and backwards. He radiated a different atmosphere from his usual appearance, his light washed jeans and the dark-green dress shirt with those adorable little flamingos all over it. Sehun thought that Junmyeon perfectly fit into the atmosphere of the whole bar. And he was somewhat mesmerised by his movements with the music.  
“We have to wait for a waiter and see if a table is free,” Junmyeon turned around to face Sehun, a soft smile on his lips. Sehun could only nod.

“Junmyeon!” A waiter walked up to them. Apparently, his flatmate was a regular here. “Table for one?”  
Junmyeon let out a peal of embarrassed laughter and gave a dismissive wave of his hand, “No, not today, Jean. Table for two, maybe somewhere quiet?” The waiter lifted an eyebrow when he regarded Sehun with a once-over. “If the gentlemen would follow me.” The waiter placed a hand on Junmyeon’s shoulder and directed him towards their table. He bent down to his ear and whispered something into his ear and Jun shook his head and answered something. Sehun had no idea what to make of it.

The table was at a window, enough for two people and near the little stage a band was strumming and playing their instruments, taking a break currently. “Do you wish to eat something?” This time the waiter addressed Sehun who nodded in response.

Junmyeon seemed to be deep in thought, chin rested on his hand and he stared out of the window.  
“Junmyeon?”  
“Hmm?” Junmyeon shook his head and smiled at Sehun.  
“Is everything alright?”  
“Yes, yes,” Junmyeon answered too fast for his liking but he decided to let the topic rest.

The waiter came back with two menus in hand, “Can I already bring something to drink?” Sehun flipped to the drinks in the menu.  
“I take a water.”  
“Beer for me,” Sehun added and the waiter left. “Water?” he raised questioningly an eyebrow.  
“For the meal, after that, I drink something else.”  
Sehun browsed the menu while Junmyeon just stared outside the window. “You already know what you’re ordering?”  
Junmyeon just hummed in response. 

Sehun tried his hardest not to smack the menu down on the table. Crossing his arms, he leaned back in his seat and stared at Junmyeon, but he was totally unaware. “Kim.” No reaction. “Kim? Junmyeon?” Still no reaction. He leaned forward and brushed the tips of his fingers gently over Junmyeon’s cheek before directing his face by his chin towards his direction. Junmyeon just let him manhandle him and didn’t show the slightest bit of resistance, his lids were glazed with a wet shimmer, “Jun?”  
The older man shook his head, breaking out of his trance. He apologised profusely and wiping furiously his eyes. “Jun,” Sehun called out softly, directing the attention back on him. He reached out and dragged his thumb over the corner of Junmyeon’s eye to wipe away a stray tear. “You shouldn’t cry, it makes you look ugly and smiling suits you so much more.” Junmyeon let out a irritated huff, but smiled nonetheless, “I hate you.”  
“That’s okay, I’m a terrible flatmate anyway and I’ll probably smell like wet dog since I spent half the week near the ocean.” “I’d say you have more of a nice, fresh, harsh and salty scent to you that screams ocean. I like that.”  
“Oh you do?” Sehun playfully leaned over the table and tried to fan his scent over to Junmyeon, who tried his hardest to suppress a cute, but loud giggle. “St-stop it-it, you, you’re em-b-barrassing u-us,” Junmyeon laughed into his hands.  
“At least you’re smiling again. So, will you now tell me what’s up?” But before the latter could reply the waiter, Jean, came back with the drinks and to take the orders and Junmyeon said, as predicted by Sehun seconds earlier, ‘the usual’.

When the waiter left, Sehun stared intensely at Junmyeon.

🜁 a.

Junmyeon got really nervous and was embarrassed to the bones. Sehun knew him for not even four months now, but he already saw more of him getting all emotional than Nikita did in almost a year. Since Sehun and him are living together might contribute to the fact that Sehun is more aware of it than Nik.

Junmyeon fumbled with a coaster and opened his mouth a few times without saying something. He had no idea where to start and how and how comfortable Sehun would be with it. He lifted his gaze and stared right into Sehun’s deep ores which weren’t wavering at all. “Tell me, Jun. I see that it is troubling for you. You don’t have to tell me things you don’t want to, but at least start. Pretty please?”  
Junmyeon felt the corner of his eye twitch, why had the boy to be so cute when he wanted to? “Jean told me that my ex is here...”  
“Why is it bad? Okay, guessing from your reaction it is?”  
Junmyeon hummed, “We didn’t end on particular good terms and I had no idea he actually moved to Lan Maris too.” He wrung his fingers and took a deep breath, his eyes automatically straying back outside. “He has been my only and longest relationship. I guess we’ve been together for quite some years, around seven, I guess.”  
“Seven months?”  
“Years, seven years.”  
“Oh. Oh! That’s quite some time, how old were you?” “I was seventeen at that time and he was twenty, twenty-one?”  
“So he’s now in his thirties.”  
“Correct. Well, it was all nice in the beginning, my mother was very supportive of us and he stole the stars of the sky for me. That was until three or four years into the relationship, when he changed. I was in my first or second year as aircraft mechanic. I don’t what happened, but he started to be more... oppressive?”  
“Oppressive? How so?” Their talk was disrupted, when the food arrived. Junmyeon ordered himself a sandwich and Sehun went with simple pizza, he whispered something to the waiter, before Jean left again. “What did you say to him?”  
“Surprise,” Sehun winked at him. “Now, go on.” Junmyeon cut his sandwich apart while Sehun bit into a piece of his food.

“Well, maybe I was still wearing the rose-coloured glasses, but I waved it off. He started to forbid me to go out. Well, I was never one to go out much and I still lived with my mother since we shared the rent. He wanted me to move in with him, to stop working… that’s when he hit me the first time, when I refused to move from my mother.” His voice broke into a whisper and he just then realised that Sehun’s hand was covering his balled fists and rubbing circles on the back of his hand. He opened his fists and grabbed Sehun’s pinky and thumb with each of his hands and hold them between his fingers. “I thought it was the alcohol he drank that day since he apologised the next day in tears. I let it slide. If I just had known that earlier. I spent two years realising he'd been lying through his teeth.” He took a sip of his water. “I was my 23th birthday. I’ve been salaried for a bit over two months in my former apprenticing company. We had a big fight, when I visited him. We planned to go out for dinner and when I came home, he was drunk. I confronted him about it, lots of screaming and he hit me, shoved me to the ground. I went back home since I had work the next day. He picked me up after work, a bouquet of flowers with him, apologising again, taking me out for dinner.”  
“You’ve been quite naive, weren’t you?” Junmyeon felt a pained smile rise on his lips and he turned Sehun’s hand around in his and dragged his fingertips over the lines in his inner palm. Sehun was eating with his other hand all the while, but listened attentively. Sehun closed his hand around Junmyeon’s the moment Jean came back with an arrangement of shots. He patted his shoulders before he left again.

Junmyeon stared questiongly at Sehun, who shot him a cheeky grin. “Let’s get drunk, hyung.” That was unexpected. “You should always call me hyung.”  
“No. Only on special occasions.” Sehun offered him a glass with a honey coloured, clear liquid inside. He took a whiff and was assaulted by a somewhat sweet yet sharp scent. ”Since I don’t know what you like, I just ordered a few samples.”  
“I smell--” he put his nose too far into the glass resulting in him getting alcohol on his nose. And he rubbed his nose with the back of his hand.

“Cute.”  
“Huh,” Junmyeon looked up at Sehun with wide eyes. The younger had his head rested on his hand, head inclined to his side regarding Jun with a smirk, “I said ‘cute’. You somewhat remind me of a bunny cleaning itself, but I see more similarities with a hamster.” Junmyeon fake coughed and felt heat spreading in his nape, “Stop talking shit and let us drink.”  
“You’re blushing, how adorable.”  
“Fuck you,” Junmyeon drowned the shot and shook himself, it was definitely whiskey and he never really liked it, even if it had a soft note of vanilla and honey.  
“Not a friend of whiskey?”  
“Nope, not really and yes, I’ve been somewhat naive.” Sehun looked up at him, “Do you mind if I--” He didn’t know why, but Sehun automatically reached out his open hand for Junmyeon to hold onto. “Why asking now if you didn’t ask earlier?” Sehun shrugged his shoulders. But Junmyeon placed his hands in his outstretched one nonetheless.

“He started beating me on a regular basis, but only leaving bruises on places no-one would see. That was until a year later, when I changed clothes at work and Jared, my best friend, walked in on me. He was so furious he dragged me outside to my boss and said something like ‘See, we were right, the fucker is beating him up.’ Ed probably only dragged me outside because we were the only ones still present at work that day.”  
“So they had a feeling something wasn’t right? But didn’t know how to confront you about it?”  
“Yes, because I always spent time with them outside work and that suddenly decreased, me limping or having problems with basic movements probably increased the suspicion. I was pretty much aware of the fact that it wasn’t a relationship someone should be stuck in. But you know the saying, love’s blind?” Sehun nodded his head and started playing with Junmyeon’s fingers, after he pushed another shot over. Both silently cheered one another and drowned the shot, Sehun not letting go of his hand. It was somewhat weird, intimate and comforting at once since he never experienced his flatmate like this. Attentive, worried, lovely; it was in stark contrast to his usual stoic attitude, him acting without a care in the world or for him as flatmate.

“They talked some sense into me, even going so far as using my mother to guilt-talk me. But he already had me at the point where he had quite the power over me, even calling me a ‘trained dog’...” Sehun’s grip on his hands turned stronger almost of the point of hurting. “He did what?” Sehun sounded like he had to suppress his rage, “If he’s coming my way...”  
“Sehun, you’re hurting m-”  
“Oh, shit. I’m- I’m sorry,” his grip loosened but apparently he wasn't able to keep his hands off him. “No-one deserves to be treated like that. How did things end?” 

This time Junmyeon passed out the shots, dark honey coloured, but he smelled the rum with vanilla. Clinking his shot with the one left untouched by Sehun he savoured it, “He tried forcing me again to move in with him, that’s when I snapped. Shutting myself into the bathroom and calling the police. But since he is the major’s son...”

“And now he’s here?”  
“I found out after living here for two months, but he apparently moved here before.”  
“And he’s now in this bar?” Junmyeon nodded, Jean told him that he managed to get them a table that was out of sight for the man. “Jun, I’m not afraid to beat the man if he comes close to you.”  
“Thank you, Sehunnie.”  
“Sehunnie, huh? Smiling suits you so much better, you should have people lined up for you.”  
“Sehun, I’m not you, I enjoy the quiet.”  
Sehun just started at him and nodded his head with a stoic expression, “I’m a terribly flatmate.”  
“Yes.”

Sehun’s expression turned into a fake dejected one and he let go off Junmyeon’s hands who immediately missed the warmth, but a pouty Sehun was a sight to behold. “You’re so cruel, you shouldn’t have said ‘yes’.”  
“Do you expect me to lie if you’re just saying out loud what I’m thinking?” The younger leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms, sporting a gigantic pout while looking away. Junmyeon couldn’t help himself but to coo out loud.  
“Stop cooing, I’m being serious here.”  
Junmyeon broke into a loud laughter, “Sure, totally serious.” He air-quoted the ‘serious’ and had tears in his eyes from laughing so much.  
“I’ll get you drunk and show you how serious I am,” Sehun drowned his untouched shot and placed the last two ones before them. It seemed to be the rum one again, actually Junmyeon’s favourite one.

Junmyeon finally felt good enough to finish his sandwich, while Sehun had already finished his beer and pizza and ordered two more rounds of shots. They fell in a comfortable conversation, Sehun telling more about himself and his family, telling funny stories about his fellow students and spilling the tea, lifting the mood. Junmyeon felt sorry for judging him so hard, but it was somewhat justified.

🜄 w.

It was around eleven when Junmyeon and Sehun decided to take a late walk to clear their heads from the alcohol, maybe at the dyke, since it was just a short walk from the bar. When they got up from their seats, Junmyeon wobbled lightly and giggled, Sehun felt a smile rising on his lips. It was a nice change seeing his flatmate smile and laugh so much; he was sure he didn’t smile that much himself since a long time.  
He wrapped his arm around Junmyeon’s waist until the other one was standing more firm. Junmyeon tilted his head to his side and placed a hand on Sehun’s elbow, “Thank you, I really enjoyed tonight, even if it didn’t start so well.”  
“Jun, I should thank you for giving me a chance and opening yourself up to me. Let’s pay and we can take a walk, but not before grabbing two beer at the next kiosk.”  
“I’d love to,” Junmyeon smiled at him and they were on their way to the bar to pay.

“Ah, Junmyeon and?”  
“Ah, sorry for not introducing you earlier, that is Sehun, my temporary flatmate. He’s from the nautic faculty.”  
“A sea rat, I see. I’m Jean.”  
“Sehun,” the two men shook hands. “And I like to have the bill.”  
“Sure, you’re paying together or separately?”  
“I pay for the both of us.”  
“That’d be,” Jean checked the bill, “47,70.”  
“Make it fifty.” “Thank you, enjoy your evening, till a next time.”

Sehun held the door open for Junmyeon and left the bar after him. Junmyeon rummaged in his backpack and retrieved his pack of cigarettes. “Hey, Jun, you didn’t smoke during our outing?”  
“It’s not like I always need to smo-”  


“Junnie? Kim Junmyeon?” The addressed male froze on the spot, the cigarette between his lips just dangled between them and his eyes went went wide. Even in the dim light, Sehun saw him paling fast. “What did I tell you about smoking, Junnie?”  
Sehun stared over Junmyeon’s head and saw a male approaching, around the same height as Junmyeon. Junmyeon started shaking like a leaf in the wind.  “What a surprise to see you here in Lan Maris, did you miss me that much, Junnie?”

“That’s none of your business,” Sehun hissed out and took a huge step towards Junmyeon, pulling him into his arms and the smaller male hid in his chest. His hand on his back, Sehun already felt cold sweat coating Junmyeon’s back. He circled his other hand also around him.  
“Junnie is my business, a nobody like you should step away from my-”  
“Shut up, you piece of shit. Junmyeon’s no-ones and especially not yours.”  
“Who says that?”  
“I do.”  
“And you are?” “‘That’ is none of your business. I’m Myeon’s boyfriend,” he felt Junmyeon stiffen in his embrace and he stroke his back to calm him down.  
“You’re what?”  
“You heard me, I don’t repeat myself since such a piece of shit doesn’t deserve my attention, even if you deserve to be beaten up into a pulp until your parents can’t recognise their own disgrace anymore. Let’s go, Myeon.” Placing his hand on Junmyeon’s shoulder he dragged him along to the nearest kiosk. No-one would disturb this nice evening, especially a douche who made Junmyeon’s life a living hell.

“Thank you Sehun,” Junmyeon breathed out, when he was finally not shaking anymore and was able to lit his cigarette, sitting down on the dyke. Sehun opened a beer can and offered it to him, which Junmyeon obviously gladly accepted. He opened his own beer and took a sip. “You don’t need to thank me, Myeon,” he reached over and ruffled Junmyeon’s hair, who leaned into the touch and rested his head onto his shoulder.  
“Still, thank you, Hunnie, I had a blast tonight.”  
“I’m glad you enjoyed it.”


	5. Fireflies and Empty Skies / Goodnight Moon

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> warning: weird ass smut and bare backing
> 
> \--
> 
> [fireflies and empty skies](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZP8st5vySJY) by god is an astronaut  
> [goodnight moon](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g3Y6zxmBeW4) by boogie belgique
> 
> \--
> 
> [](https://i.imgur.com/SfzEk9x.jpg)   
>    
> 

_Lan Maris, late August 2019, Airport._

🜁 a.

It was still early in the morning, the sun still didn’t pass the horizon.  
_"Delta 1962: Runway West - Taxi Mike and Oscar, hold short of Bravo as you come eastbound.”_  
“Mike, Oscar, short of Bravo on the way, Delta 1962.”  
Junmyeon taxied the Comanche 180 along the runway and stopped at the taxiway B since shortly behind it, the runway North was, he reported, back to the Ground. Leaning back, he watched the Pilatus PC-12 that was ready for take-off. In it the bunch of women who tried to make eyes with Nikita who was sitting beside him when they walked into the entrance hall of the light aircraft airport.

 

 

> _Junmyeon felt uncomfortable with the stares the pair received while Nikita was looking around like a kid in a Christmas store since that was his first visit at this small airport. He overheard the women complaining that they deserved to be treated special since they paid for the flight. Junmyeon couldn’t help but roll his eyes and that didn’t go unnoticed by them. He already imagined the complaints he would receive any second if it wasn’t for Nikita who came back at the moment, making giant leaps, “Jun! Outside one of the hangars is a Comanche 180!”_  
>  _“What would you say if I tell you that this baby is our travel partner for today?”_  
>  _“You’re kidding!” Nikita’s eyes went wide and he shook Junmyeon by his shoulders, “Please tell me you’re not kidding.” Nikita fell in love with the piston after he saw a photo of Junmyeon and Jared next to one of the oldest PA-24 still available._  
>  _“Mr Jones, you’re able to fly on a Comanche today.”  
>  Nikita just threw up a fist in response, with the widest smile he can muster, “Nice!”_
> 
> _“Ah, Mr Kim and Mr Jones, I suppose,” the receptionist looked up, clearly annoyed by the women and their antics at five in the morning. “I just received the notification that the piston is ready and half-fuel payload.”  
>  _ _Junmyeon answered with a delighted ‘great’ and filled out the paperwork before shouldering his trekking backpack again and pulling Nikita along, smirking at the women. He knew he would take off later than them._

Said male was currently adjusting the settings of his camera on the seat next to him, checking the photos he already took of the aircraft, “I can’t believe I’m sitting in a PA-24.”  
“Enjoy it, we only deliver it.”  
“Man, I envy you for having such a cool boss.”  
“Well, actually it is for a client of the airport I was working for when I worked as mechanic.”  
“Still cool.”

 _“Derry 1212, fly heading one six five, Runway North. Cleared for takeoff.”_  
_“One six five, North, clear for takeoff. Derry 1212.”_  
The PC-12 took off and the radio crackled, “ _Delta 1962, continue straight ahead West on taxiway Oscar._ ”  
“Delta 1962.”  
_“Roger Delta 1962 - you monitor still on 19-3. Fly Two Six Eight, West, clear for takeoff.”_  
“Two six eight, west, cleared to go. Delta 1962,” Junmyeon answered while heading to the runway.

 _“Delta, sunrise in 24 minutes, safe flight.”_  
“Thank you, till next time and good morning.”  
_“Good morning to you guys too. Delta, contact next centre at nineteen seven two.”_  
Junmyeon switched his radio to the frequency.

When he was at altitude, Nikita started taking a few shots, exclaiming every once in a while his enjoyment.  
_“Delta, Derry here.”_  
“Roger Derry, Delta answering.”  
_“Nice lady you got there, safe flight.”_  
“Thank you, Derry, but your isn’t that bad as well. Safe flight.”

“People know how to appreciate beauty when they see it,” Nikita commented, “T-13 till sunrise. Thank you Junmyeon for taking me with you.”  
Junmyeon just smiled while flying back home for the first time in almost a year, enjoying the feeling of flight after a long time.

_An hour later._

The arrival at the commercial airport in his hometown was a challenge with all those airlines arriving and departing, but once he was on the taxiway to his designated hangar, he felt proud. Also a good experience for his ATPL later on.  
Exiting the aircraft with Nikita in tow, he heard a shout. “My lost son is back!”

Seriously, his old boss was such a baby sometimes, but it felt good to meet his friends again after such a long time.

“Michael! Jared!” After introducing Nikita to them, the four of them had breakfast and afterwards met with the client and Junmyeon got back into raptures again talking about it.

“Jun, when will I met your Ma?”  
“We’re walking, if that’s okay with you? That way you can also see my hometown.”  
“Great!” Nikita brought already his camera out again.

Junmyeon’s hometown was like Lan Maris, also at the coast, minus the mountains that were framing the capital.

His mother lived in a small apartment building, surrounded by a classic white picket fence and a small garden in front. He already saw her while he was still a good distance away, but once he saw her, his steps carried him faster until he almost broke into a sprint. Enveloping his mother in a bear hug, his tears just started streaming down his face, while he was hiding his face in the crook of her neck. She got older since he last saw her in person, the white standing in stark contrast to her black hair that slowly lost its brilliance. The years of harassment and stress in the Korean community took its toll on her, but she was still the most beautiful human to ever exist on mother earth.

It was a few days later, Jared allowed the duo to borrow his bike for the time and Nikita made it his job to carry Junmyeon around on it. They decided to meet up with his mother at his favourite restaurant on the coast after her work. He and Nikita were strolling around the beach and just talked about this and that.

“Jun, you told your mother yesterday something about possibly having fallen in love with the wrong person.” It was no question, it was a statement.  
Junmyeon fell silent, Nikita was right and he tried his hardest to deny the butterflies in his stomach. He slowly nodded his head and kept his eyes on the ground. He heard some huffing before an arm was draped around him and pulled him closer, comforting him. “Don’t tell me it is him.”  
“I’m afraid that’s the case...”  
“How-- if that’s an appropriate question?” Nikita sounded genuinely interested but at the same time accusatory. Junmyeon fully understood why and couldn’t blame him for it. Ever since the bar incident, his friendship flourished with Sehun. They spent more time together and Sehun started to drop his stoic attitude around him, being more himself. Laughing without restraint but also being closer in physical contact. He let his hands linger unnecessarily long on his shoulders, always patted his head, and he once even gave Junmyeon a smack on the butt when Junmyeon couldn’t reach the cupboard before getting it for him, standing in his personal space for too long, his chest pressed against his back.  
Junmyeon blushed madly that time, feeling caught. He knew his attraction wasn’t only sexual. With each passing day, the feelings just grew without him really realising it until the day in the kitchenette, two weeks ago.  
Sehun even had dared to whisper into his ear: “ _If you don’t stop blushing, I might eat you up._ ”  
Junmyeon flew into his room afterwards and only came out again when he made sure that Sehun left the dorm.

It was torture living with a demon who was that egotistical, but Junmyeon was surprised at the same time since Sehun only brought people over once in a while. But when it was the same person as the time before, a slight feeling of jealousy rose in Junmyeon and he hated it, hating the fact that the younger had such power over him without being aware of it.

“I see,” Nikita dryly commented when they finally were on their way to meet with Junmyeon’s mother after he explained it to him. Nikita was unsurprisingly unhappy about this development and Junmyeon was pretty aware of it.  
“I’m not really happy about it myself. But given the fact that we’re also living together, I already saw him in all the glory and let me say, he’s hung like a horse.”  
“Jun, I don’t wanna know that.”  
“Sorry...”  
“Well, I can’t blame you, he’s extraordinarily good looking.”  
“See,” Junmyeon pouted and realised that he stopped hanging around his own apartment only in shorts since Sehun moved in. Was it because he felt self-conscious? He already was well acquaintanced with Sehun’s back view since the younger apparently had a habit of sleeping naked and was praised a few times with his front and it was hard not to be affected by it in terms of blushing.

_A few days later._

Nikita and Junmyeon arrived back at their dorm shortly after lunchtime and Junmyeon discarded of his things in his room and jogged back to meet with Nikita for lunch and some early drinking session with him and a few of his friends, enjoying the lasting semester break as long as they could. The train ride was tiring since there were problems with one part of the rails and the whole ride took seven instead of five hours and he just wanted to sleep. At least he had the dorm for himself because Sehun talked about the internship for his ISSM that would occupy a few months.

A few hours later, some time into the evening, Junmyeon felt deeply relaxed after this well needed but short vacation and the soothing effect of the alcohol that was maybe a bit too much. He was ready for his next semester that would be way more exhausting than the last two ones.

He jammed the key into the lock and ripped the door open, the alcohol limiting his motoric qualities to act somewhat cautiously and careful. But nothing could have prepared him for what he was about to witness.

Sehun sat with spread legs on the couch, a girl sitting with her back against his chest in his lap. She had her face turned around to him and they were eating each other's faces off. Sehun was massaging her genitals through her panty, having her skirt pushed up, her top pushed up and was massaging her breast in his large hand.

Junmyeon was at a loss for words for the moment and fought against his natural flight instinct, inhaling deeply.

The moment Sehun was about to go further and pull the panty to the side, Junmyeon interrupted: “What the fuck?” He closed the door forcefully, announcing his presence. The duo on the couch almost jumping up, staring at him in surprise and shock. Junmyeon’s blood started to boil, the alcohol influencing it.  
“Junmyeon,” Sehun sounded surprised but was slurring the name. A smile rose on his lips, a natural one, that’s what Junmyeon, even in his clouded mind, could decipher. “Wipe the smile off your face, Oh. What the fuck do you think you're doing? On my couch? In my dorm? With her?”  
“Excuse you?” the girl stared incredulously at him. Junmyeon pointed her, “Excuse _you_ , I don’t need _you_ infecting my roommate with your STDs. Don’t believe I don’t know who you are, I’m friends with Phil, the guy you fucked three weeks earlier.” The girl paled and scrambled up, picking up her things. “And you. Oh, fuck off, I don’t wanna see you tonight, get lost right now.”  
Sehun blinked at him, confusion evident on his face, “Myeon?” He stood up, wobbly on his legs. Junmyeon may be drunk, but there was a thing he realised, Sehun was drunk, the girl wasn’t. His expression softened, “Talk a long walk and clear your head, Sehun. Get yourself a glass of water and get lost.”

Junmyeon walked up to the kitchenette and filled a glass of water for his flatmate. The girl vanished through the door, sobbing quietly. He got Sehun the glass of water, his hands trembling and his heart aching. Sehun swallowed the content of the glass, his eyes never leaving Junmyeon. He felt uncomfortable and felt tears prickling at his eyes. He took the empty glass from Sehun and turned around when Sehun shuffled to the door.

“Sehun, please, go--”

He placed the glass in the sink. The blood was rushing in his ears, and he was afraid to collapse if he wouldn’t brace himself on the sink. When he heard the door falling into lock, the first tears spilt and he just let them fall. “Why did I have to fall in love with such a fucking bastard?” he asked himself, his voice cracking from a mumble into an inaudible whisper. “Fuck!” He hit his fist on the countertop and slumped down onto it with his upper body. His body shaking heavily from the violent sobs that spilt over his lips.

“You did fall in love with me?”

Junmyeon jumped up but didn’t dare to turn around. The sobs got caught in his throat and the eyes burned, his nose runny, using his sleeve to dry it, and he was biting down hard on his lower lip. He felt like vomiting.  
“Junmyeon. Speak to me,” Sehun walked up to him, caging him against the sink with both arms by his sides.  
Junmyeon was shaking like a leaf in the wind, “Don’t touch me, don’t come near me.” He tried to sound threatening but his voice broke in the middle and was overpowered by his sobs.  
“Myeon-”  
“No! Don’t speak my name like that.”  
Sehun didn’t move an inch away but did inch closer and he refused to open his eyes. “I’m sor-”  
“Fuck you and fuck your sorry excuses!” Junmyeon snapped and raised his voice. “You’re a fucking excuse of a man. You’re a fucking sorry excuse. Did you ever think about how I might feel as a human being about you and your fucking around? My sleeping schedule is a fucking mess. I have to run every so often to Nik to get some decent sleep. You’re looking down on me, using me. Are you even serious about friendship with me or are you just trying to fucking break me and use me like all your little toys just to have some fun and pleasure? If you’re just trying to literal fuck me, just ask me to let you fuck me. I probably would have succumbed to your words. Why don’t you just fuck me now on the spot because I destroyed your playdate, huh? Would that make up for it?” He just hung his head low and the tears were just a sheer endless stream of salt and he furiously whipped them away with the palms of his hand, while rambling.

A chest pressed up against him, pressing his stomach into the counter. Hot breath fell upon his ear and a heavy scent of alcohol invaded his senses.  
“Myeon.”  
“Stop it. Please. I can’t take it anymore.”  
“Is that how you really feel about me, Myeon?”  
“Sehun, I hate you and like you at the same time. Please, stop playing with me. It tears my heart apart.” New, hot tears rolled down his face and he sniffled, trying to prevent them but to no avail. “And please, really, don’t say my name so softly and we’re both drunk. We shouldn’t talk about this matter drunk.”  
“Would you believe me if I told you that I don’t know why I’m so drunk?”

Junmyeon fell silent, “Why are you drunk then?” he asked, sniffling into his sleeve.  
“Maybe it was the bitch? She tried to approach me for a few weeks now and what you said about her, is it true?”  
“It is. I’m friends with Nikita’s flatmate, Phil. He said it couldn’t be anyone else. She said she’s on the pill and he believed her.” His voice was just above his whisper, but with Sehun in close range he saw no need to raise his voice, “Why didn’t you leave?”  
“Because you’re back and I need to talk to you.”  
“Why?”  
“Because you’re clouding my mind since the first time I saw you. In the bar, a year ago. Remember when you asked me if we met before? I lied.”  
Junmyeon let out a dry whimper, “And I thought you forgot about it.”  
“I had my eyes on you whenever you crossed my path, Kim Junmyeon,” Sehun’s pitched dropped and one of his hands came to rest on Junymeon’s chin, tilting his face more into Sehun’s direction.  
“Sehun, what are you doing?”  
“Did you forget about me after we met in the bar?”  
Junmyeon wanted to lie but the words spilt over his lips before his mind could comprehend what he did, “No.”

“So you just tested the waters when you asked me?”  
“Yes.” What was wrong with Junmyeon, why was he spilling the beans like that? Was it because his mother talked some sense into him after Nikita talked about what kind of person Sehun is? That he should get a grip on himself, that Sehun might actually try to change? His mother always knew how to rate people, even if she didn’t know them at all. She was the one to warn him about his ex.

“But did you know who I was before I moved in?”  
Junmyeon gulped heavily, not trusting his voice, he nodded. He felt Sehun’s breath ghosting over the exposed skin of his neck. A shiver was crawling down his spine, the closeness robbing him of the last bit of sanity he had. Sehun dragged his thumb over Junmyeon’s lower lip that was quivering.  “Se-sehun, p-please, stop.”  
“I actually thought about approaching you a few times but given my status at uni... Can you imagine how delighted I was when I saw you being my roommate?”  
“I-- Sehun, please I beg you.”  
“Junmyeon.”  
The way Sehun rolled his name off his tongue, having a gently yet rough grip on his chin, Junmyeon couldn’t help but react to it, he whimpered, the sound flowing softly over his parted lips. The man made him weak, he didn’t even know how often he masturbated thinking about him. He felt guilty because he knew that Sehun was a player, never staying with anyone, throwing them aside once he was bored with them. He witnessed it so many times. He was afraid, to say the least. Afraid, because he fell in love with sides Sehun didn’t share with anyone. Sehun, the cold-hearted bastard. The man that was pressing up against him closely, who seemed to be just as affected as Junmyeon by their current position.

“So, you fell in love with me, Kim Junmyeon?” Sehun’s lips touched the shell of his ear and he involuntarily shivered and let out another, even softer whimper, shutting his eyes tightly. “Answer me, Myeon.”  
Sehun’s other hand came to rest on his lower abdomen and Junmyeon felt his own erection growing when Sehun’s hand wandered under his shirt and exceeded pressure on his abdomen, pressing him more into Sehun. He let his tongue travel down the ear to his neck, leaving a soft kiss in the crook of Junmyeon’s neck. Junmyeon’s breath hitched in his throat when he left open-mouthed kisses on his neck, sucking lightly on his sensitive skin.  
“Yes,” his voice wavered. “Sehun, please, don’t do this to me. You almost fucked a girl on the couch just now.”  
“Beg some more, little Junmyeon. Let me hear this sweet sound. _”_ Junmyeon tried to ignore the erection that was poking his backside but with the owner’s hands roaming his upper body it was impossible. “Will you be mine, if I ask you too?”

Junmyeon didn’t know how to react to this question, the intoxication was already impossible to ignore but Sehun asking him to be his was topping it. He clearly wasn’t thinking when he said the next sentence: “Only if you’ll be mi--”  
“You already have me in your hands but I didn’t approach you because I was afraid of rejection. That’s why I fucked around the last months, to forget you, but ever since the bar--” He stopped talking and sucked on Junmyeon’s earlobe who let out a soft moan. “Your voice is music to my ears. I always wondered how you sound when you’re moaning.”  
“Sehun--”  
“Beg for it. Beg for me to take you, to touch you.”  
“Please, Sehun.” Junmyeon threw his head back, it was too much for him to take. Sehun’s hand travelled along his stomach into his jeans, letting his hand roam slowly over Junmyeon’s reaction. Every touch letting it twitch in anticipation, “You’re so hard, Junmyeon. Do you jerk yourself off, thinking about me?” He grinded his dick against Junmyeon’s ass and the latter just nodded his head, eyes clenched shut and tears threatening to fall again. He hated dirty talk but it was affecting him. Sehun stroked his dick through the briefs and he tried to swallow his moans, shivering.

Sehun let go of his chin and his hand went down to his pants, unbuttoning them and pulling down the zipper. “Sehun--” Junmyeon choked out, a throaty moan following when Sehun pressed down on his dick.  
“Beg for me to fuck you,” Sehun commanded him when he started to pull his pants down. Junmyeon couldn’t help but obey, “Fuck me. Fill me up with your dick, Sehun.”  
“More!” Sehun dived into the briefs and enclosed his hands around his erection, using the precum to spread it with his thumb over Junmyeon’s tip.  
“Use me and make me cry out your name while you fuck into me without restraint.”  
“Never took you for the type to enjoy rough sex.” Sehun sucked harshly on his neck, scraping his teeth over the skin, “I’ll mark you and fuck you so hard your ass only remembers my dick.” He stroke Junmyeon’s dick of few times and made the older cry out in anticipation.

  
“Do you really want me to fuck you?” he asked uncharacteristically soft and made his dick twitch. He hung his head low and he nodded softly. He knew he might regret it in the morning, letting his urges take control over him like this.

His pants finally dropped down and pooled around his ankles. Sehun grinded hard against him and he pressed his ass against Sehun. Sehun let go of his dick and played around with his balls while sucking his neck in various spots. He changed hands and his hand wandered to his backside, caressing his buttcheeks. “You have such a nice ass, Junmyeon.” He grabbed harshly and Junmyeon swallowed his saliva down.  
“Sehun, please, take me.”  
“With the greatest pleasure, Myeon. But I don’t have lube, I have to get it from my room.” Junmyeon wasn’t trusting his legs any longer, the way they wobbled and he shook his head. “You don’t want me too?” Sehun gently caressed his cheek with his knuckles, leaving every once in a while light kisses on his neck. Junmyeon finally let go of the sink, his hand shakily reaching for Sehun’s hand on his face, the latter intertwining their fingers and forcing Junmyeon to turn around. Junmyeon missed the warmth on his skin when Sehun let go of his dick and he whimpered in dislike.

“Greedy, are we?” He refused to meet Sehun’s eyes when he cautiously turned around and got rid of his pants around his ankles. He felt his face burning. Sehun’s hand around him caressed his butt, humming in contentment. He chuckled lowly and pressed his crotch against Junmyeon’s, making him gasp in return at the added pressure and friction when the younger continued to grind into him. Junmyeon could help but buckle his hips and Sehun inhaled sharply.

The younger pulled his hands away from Junmyeon's torso and interlaced their fingers, leaving soft kisses in the junction of his neck. Junmyeon was turned around but refused to lift his eyes. _  
_ When he felt a soft sensation against his fingers, he looked up in shock. Sehun was staring at him with half-lidded eyes, leaving a kiss on his knuckles, “Sehun?” Placing Junmyeon’s hand against his cheek since the other was holding onto his upper arm, he reached for his face as well and inched closer. His eyes wandered down and were fixed in Junmyeon’s lips. Junmyeon closed his eyes in anticipation and not being able to look any longer at Sehun.

The moment he felt Sehun’s lips on his he forgot how to breathe. The soft and sensual motion was contradicting with the way he groped his ass. Junmyeon melted with the way he was treated. When Sehun’s tongue asked for entrance Junmyeon granted it without a second thought. Sehun’s tongue curled around Junmyeon’s. Sehun gripped his hair tightly and suddenly all caution was blown into the wind. He sucked hungrily on Junmyeon’s and bit down on it, making Junmyeon moan into the kiss. Their teeth clanked and Junmyeon had to push Sehun away, catching his breath. Sehun was breathing just as heavily and his eyes were clouded with animalistic desires. Junmyeon felt like a rabbit caught in headlights, he couldn’t tear his gaze away. His body acted on his own when he reached for Sehun’s face and pulled him towards him, pressing his lips on Sehun’s who was quick to reciprocate the kiss. Sehun’s hands came to rest on his lower back and he pulled him closer, the kiss being softer now and he felt Sehun smile against his lips. Pulling away, he looked at Sehun, “Why are you smiling?” “Because I was an asshole and I don’t deserve this.”

Sehun’s mood swings were torture for him. He could never fathom how the younger would react next.  
“Myeon?” Junmyeon hummed in response. Sehun unbuckled his belt and his eyes went wide. He let out a grunt when his erection finally had more space. He pressed his fingers against his lips. With his other hand, he forcefully grabbed Junmyeon’s chin. Due to the pressure, Junmyeon opened up and let the fingers in. Curling his tongue around the fingers, he sucked on them and coated them thick in his saliva. Sehun buckled his dick against Junmyeon’s and let out a deep growl. Junmyeon enjoyed the friction more than he should and let out a shameless moan. When Sehun deemed it enough, he retreated his fingers. A smirk rose on his lips, and he turned Junmyeon back around who let out a yelp in surprise. Bending Junmyeon over the counter, he pulled Junmyeon’s briefs down and pressed himself against his ass. Using one finger, he pressed it against Junmyeon’s hole and teased him. Circling his finger around the hole, he let his other hand play with Junmyeon’s erection and made him whimper in distress.

“Needy, Myeon?”  
“Sehun, please, I need your dick.”  
“Only my dick? Oh, Myeon.” He inserted slowly his index finger in his hole and Junmyeon clenched around him, one phalanx at a time, to let Junmyeon get used to the coldness of his fingers and the feeling of him. “Sehun, I need you.”  
“That’s better, little Junmyeon. Beg some more.”  
Junmyeon pressed back on his hand while Sehun was thrusting his finger slowly in and out off him, before inserting a second one, scissoring him and preparing him. “Sehun, please!” Junmyeon was shocked about the greediness he didn’t know he would possess in the first place. Sehun let go of his dick and wandered under his shirt, rubbing his nipples between his fingers. Junmyeon started to fuck himself on the digits when they curled and hit his sweet spot. “Fuck,” he felt himself clenching around the fingers. He was afraid he couldn’t hold his release in any longer already. Sehun seemed to feel it and fastened his preparation of Junmyeon. With his third and fourth finger inserted and Junmyeon loose enough, he searched his pockets. When he retreated his fingers from Junmyeon’s hole, the latter let out a sound of disapproval, when the muscle clenched around nothing.  
He heard a belt loop clinking with the ground, before Sehun’s weight leaned over him, a cock poking his thigh, followed by a groan from Sehun when he tried to shake it off his ankles.  
“Myeon?” The dick poked his butt and started rubbing between his cheeks, “I won’t restrain myself, Myeon, I’m going to fuck the living daylights out of you and you will beg for it.” Junmyeon just moaned in response, pressing his ass against the cock, “Touch me, Sehun. Fuck me.”  
He heard the ripping of plastic before he lost skinship with Sehun’s dick. Seconds later, he felt the tip of it pressing against his hole and a condom wrapper landed next to him. His own dick was bobbing up and down from the excitement and he lightly pressed his ass against the dick, exhaling slowly.

🜄  w.

One of Sehun’s hands came to rest on Junmyeon’s hip and he started to press more strongly against the hole. When the tip of his dick was buried in Junmyeon, he gave the man under him some time to adjust, but his urges were stronger. Fortunately, Junmyeon gave him a go and he inserted it deeper in Junmyeon. He was quivering and shaking under him, it was a sight to behold, his cock buried completely until the hilt in Junmyeon.  
“Sehun, please, fuck me hard,” the soft tone of his voice, the greed and need in it, the begging, it was music to his ears. Pulling his dick back out until the tip, he slammed back in making Junmyeon cry out. He was so tight so fucking tight and Sehun loved it. Thrusting in and out, he fastened his pace and Junmyeon welcomed him. His moans and cries of pleasure fueling Sehun’s thirst. Grabbing both of his hips tightly, he enjoyed the slapping sound of skin on skin, the obscene grunts that spilt over his lips and the way Junmyeon cried out his name, beginning him to go faster and harder. Junmyeon pressed his hips against each thrust, obviously trying to increase the pure force of the sex he received. He saw Junmyeon reaching for his own dick and slapped his hand away, “You won’t come until I allow you too.” Sehun leaned closer over him, wrapping his hand around his dick, pressing his thumb down on the tip of it, his other hand grabbing his chin and craning the face towards him, clashing their lips together. Junmyeon moaned into his mouth and buckled into his hand. Sehun felt his release closing in, faster than he was used too.  
He slowed his thrusts down, every other time slamming without restraint into Junmyeon under him, aiming at his prostate.  
“Se-Sehun, I, I--,” Junmyeon gulped and was assaulted by another moan spilling over his lips, “I, I-- please, fill me up with your cum, I wanna feel you.”  
Sehun halted in his movement, his shaft buried deep between Junmyeon’s ass, grinding into him, “Are you sure?”  
“Y-yes--”  
That he was surprised, was an understatement, but he obeyed, giving Junmyeon’s dick in his hand a few rough strokes before letting go of it. While pulling out his cock, he pulled Junmyeon’s cheeks apart, watching how the pulsating hole cleaned around air, discarding quickly of the condom, spitting in his hand, he coated his dick with it and aligned his dick once again with the hole, he restrained himself from slamming violently into it and savoured the feel of Junmyeon on his bare skin. He aimed directly at the prostate of Junmyeon. Junmyeon came while he inhaled deeply, his breath hitching in his throat and he pressed against Sehun, his dick releasing spurts of milky white semen against the counter. Sehun fucked continuously into him, the clenching of Junmyeon’s hole bringing him on the verge, before he released himself into Junmyeon’s cavern, riding his high out. Junmyeon felt way too good, he could get addicted to him. The tightness of his ass, the way he embraced his dick, his cries of pleasure when Sehun fucked into him.

Sehun slumped over him, both trying to catch their breath. “Myeon, my little Myeon.” He shuddered under him, “You feel so good.” Junmyeon turned his face, staring at Sehun’s lips, his look unsure, “Do it, little Myeon.” Junmyeon pressed his lips to Sehun’s and probed his tongue against his lips, Sehun granted him access and cupped the side of Junmyeon’s face and gave him a long kiss. He never kissed after sex. He pulled out his softened cock from its confinement and Junmyeon protested into his mouth. Sehun felt a smile rising on his lips and he pulled away, watching his cum flowing from Junmyeon’s abused hole. “You look so beautifully wrecked, fucked and filled up.”  
Addressed male just whimpered and hid his face in his arms, still leaned over the counter, the cum dripping down his legs, when he clenched his thighs together trying to prevent the cum from dripping.

“Your dirty talk is the most embarrassing and awful thing you could do.”  
“You seemed to like it.”  
“Fuck you,” the tips of Junmyeon’s ears turned red.  
“Let me see your face when you’re blushing,” Sehun commented while jogging to the bathroom after he pulled his briefs back up, preparing a wet towel to clean Junmyeon up. He was too weak to stay any longer on his legs and slowly slid down on the counter, when Sehun came back and cautiously cleaned him up to the best he could, dressing him back into his own underwear and helping him into his shirt, “You good?”  
“You’re too much to handle for me, Sehun, and- _-”_ The smaller one was torn between shaking and nodding his head before he cutely mumbled an ‘I’m tired, wanna sleep’.  
Sehun complemented what to do when he said: “Myeon, can you hold onto me?”

With Junmyeon’s arms locked around his neck and legs bolstered up on his hips, he looked at the male who looked down on him due to their now changed height difference. Catching Sehun’s eyes on his, he looked away, clearly flustered. Sehun, on the other hand, set him down on the kitchen counter for a minute. Junmyeon retreated his arms from around his neck and wanted to pull his legs away but Sehun grabbed them and caressed the tender skin under the tips of his fingers. Junmyeon, unsure of what to do, wrung his hands in his lap, looking down on them. Sehun didn’t know how to feel about the sight before him, it made him somehow delighted and happy but angry at the same time. He knew he was an ass but somewhere on the path of trying to forget Junmyeon, he didn’t lose sight of him, no, but of the things he might have done to Junmyeon, how he could feel. “I don’t deserve this,” he mumbled when he caressed Junmyeon’s jawline and made him look up to him. The latter’s eyes were wide, but tiredness was glazing them and he fought against his heavy eyelids. Sehun’s face inched closer, silently asking for permission. He got them when Junmyeon’s calloused hands came to rest on his cheeks, pulling him closer, leaving a chaste kiss on his lips. Moulding their lips together in a slow, steady rhythm. Junmyeon inclined his head more to the side, giving the taller more access and he looked his legs closer around Sehun’s hips, while the latter rested his hands on Junmyeon’s back, also pulling him impossibly closer. Sehun knew he was grasping every straw now to deepen his experience with Junmyeon, feeling his skin under his fingertips, feeling his lips on his, the soft moans Junmyeon let out, when Sehun wrestled with his tongue or sucked a bit too harsh on his lower lip, the goosebumps rising on his skin where Junmyeon touched him. The fire the older set in his heart.

They detached their lips and they just stared each other, neither of them uttering a single word, just bathing in the presence of each other. Sehun’s hand wandered up to the side of Junmyeon’s face, threading his fingers through his hair, while the other leaned into the touch. Tears accumulated at Junmyeon’s lower lid and Sehun brushed his thumb over his lips, leaning in to kiss the tears off his closed eyes.  
“Why, Sehun?”  
“Because I am an asshole and I don’t deserve you letting me kiss you after everything I did to you.”

Junmyeon reached for Sehun’s hands and he all too readily intertwined them, he continuously stole pecks from him, his lips chasing after Junmyeon’s when the latter turned his face away, trying to hide a smile. When he had enough and Junmyeon stifled a yawn, he pulled the smaller back onto him and waddled to his room. He just realised it was Junmyeon’s first time in his room.

Throwing him on the mattress, the still intoxicated male giggled, when he landed on the soft covers. In an attempt to hide his blush, Sehun turned around and switched off the light in the living room and came back, closing the door behind him. The view on his bed was breathtaking. Junmyeon laid on his side, his head placed in the crook of his elbow, his eyes raking over Sehun’s body and one leg slightly pulled up, the briefs stretching tightly around his private parts and the shirt he was wearing was pushed up. His eyes lingered around Junmyeon’s private parts and the male coughed awkwardly.   
“Junmyeon,” Sehun smirked when he saw what his eyes could do alone and he pulled his shirt over his head and threw it carelessly to the ground. He [knew they wouldn’t go to sleep anytime soon except Junmyeon would drop asleep this second, but he discarded of his briefs, making Junmyeon gulp audibly. He crawled onto the bed, over to the male and left open-mouthed kisses on the cloth covering Junmyeon’s already sensitive dick, making the smaller squirm under him. Crawling further up, before grinding against him, Sehun kissed Junmyeon deeply again. This would be a long night.


	6. Time / Warmth

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> [time](https://soundcloud.com/freshlittletunes/time-flies) and [warmth](https://soundcloud.com/freshlittletunes/warmth) by f.l.t.  
> \--
> 
> [ [Fascinating Facts About The Hidden Industry That Touches 90% Of What You Own](https://www.fastcompany.com/3016687/10-fascinating-facts-about-the-hidden-industry-that-touches-90-of-what-you-own) ]
> 
> Line up the containers belonging to Maersk alone, and they would stretch nearly halfway around the planet. Stack them up, and they’d reach to 7,530 Eiffel Towers. Unload their cargo onto trucks, and the traffic would stretch 60 miles.

_ Lan Maris, beginning of September 2019, Dorm. _

🜁 a.

The warmth surrounding Junmyeon, it made him feel safe and comfortable. He hasn’t felt this way in months or ages. It felt right and good. It was the warmth a body would emit, the arms tightly enclosed around him, the beating of the other’s heart against his back, the breath that fell upon his nape, leaving goosebumps on the skin. He moulded himself more into the chest, the arms around him tightening to pull him closer, the lips that moulded itself against the crook of his neck, kissing the skin like it was porcelain, the approving deep hum in his ear. The soft covers he laid upon, the smell of fresh laundry, reminding him of a fresh ocean breeze in the winter. The other behind him moved, still humming softly every now and then, the kisses proceeding down his neck to his shoulders, the arms around him loosening, the fingertips moving along the expanse of his outstretched arms, the fingers finding his, intertwining, pulling them closer to his chest. The knees behind him pushing his up, making him smaller, emitting even more warmth. Junmyeon couldn’t help but sigh in content. He snuggled deeper into it, feeling blissful and at peace. One of the foreign hands untangled its hold on his hand, roamed his exposed skin under the blankets, gliding over his ribcage, towards his naked hip further down his thigh and coming back up, repeating the motion a few times, making Junmyeon melt in the process. “Slept well, little Myeon?”  
Junmyeon hummed in response, not trusting his voice to answer the velvet sound of the voice hoarse with sleep, the hot breath it left in his crook. “I haven’t slept this well since-- I can’t even remember,” he whispered in response, his voice sounding slightly hoarse.  
“You slept like a log and it’s already after lunch.”

After lunch? Naked skin on naked skin? The laundry smelling like the ocean? Junmyeon’s eyes shot open and he couldn’t recognise the room he was in. Jumping up, a sharp pain ran through his back, making him wince as he fell back down. “Sorry, I may have gone too hard on you.” Junmyeon finally started to connect the voice to its owner. “Se-Sehun?” His mind was running a marathon, trying to piece everything together from what he could remember. He knew he confronted Sehun in the living room after he came back from Nik, his unintentional confession, the latter’s confession, the… the… Junmyeon felt his face burning and he hid it in his hands, on the verge of an existential crisis, scratch that, it was a full existential crisis.

He didn’t like it one bit how Sehun’s hands glided over the exposed skin of his thigh, how the arm he used as a pillow had him in an almost choke hold, pressing him into the other man’s chest who left lingering kisses along his neckline. It did all sorts of things to him, it was sensory overstimulation and it made his head spin. He enclosed his hands before his chest, painfully wrung together and he tried to control his breathing. It wasn’t that he didn’t like it, it was just too much and too fast. He wasn’t able to wrap his head around the things happening to him. Just yesterday Sehun had almost fucked a girl on their couch and now he was lying naked in the man’s embrace, unable to form a coherent thought.

His body switched into ‘flight’-mode and he made attempts to stand up after he spotted his clothes on the ground, but Sehun wasn’t having it.  
“Stay, Myeon, you said you don’t have anything to do today” Sehun sounded a bit like he was almost whining and Junmyeon wouldn’t say it out loud that he missed his warmth the moment he tried to get away, he’d rather bite his tongue. “Tell me one valid reason and I let you go,” Sehun whispered lowly against his ear-shell and the hot air gracing it made him shiver in Sehun’s embrace, a whimper breaking through his lips. He felt like crying.

He didn’t have one and he was pretty sure Sehun knew that he also had no idea how much he spilt the beans the evening before, he was completely vulnerable and at mercy of Sehun’s hands. Speaking of the latter, he pulled Junmyeon back into his chest and Junmyeon felt himself melting into the embrace with Sehun’s head in the crook of his neck, inhaling and exhaling against his skin.  
“Junmyeon, five more minutes and I let you go, just lemme bath in your warmth.”

The five minutes passed quicker than Junmyeon wished them to pass and he felt dread in the pit of his stomach when Sehun finally let go of him after he peppered his skin with countless kisses, the shuffling of the covers, the fleeting touches of skin on skin. Junmyeon felt conflicted. Very conflicted. And his skin was burning under each of Sehun's touches. He didn't know what to do.  
Sehun next to him retracted his arms and pushed himself up, sitting next to Junmyeon, while the latter still faced away and started to regret everything he's done. He wasn't sure if he should just stand up and leave or, but this question dispersed as soon as Sehun run his hand through Junmyeon's hair, massaging the scalp, brushing knots out with his slender fingers. Junmyeon couldn't help himself but sigh in content and Sehun chuckled in response. Junmyeon turned slightly around, leaning more into the touch. Looking over, the younger was smiling at Junmyeon, running his hand through his hair, phone in hand.  
"I'll take a shower, you can either stay here in bed or move back to your room. Either is fine with me, but I'm pretty sure you need a shower too." His hand left his hair, and he brushed his knuckles over Junmyeon's cheek. Sehun stood up and grabbed some clothes, before leaving the room butt-naked.

It was all so bizarre to Junmyeon and he couldn't wrap his head around what had happened. He didn't move a muscle until he heard the shower running and moved quickly, after grabbing his briefs from the ground. His back hurt like hell and he silently cursed everything and everyone.

Once Junmyeon stepped outside the shower and started drying himself, the negative thoughts came back that accompanied him ever since he woke up in Sehun’s arms. What if Sehun was only playing with him? Just because of the confession? But the way he behaved now, the skinship, the eyes so soft, the constant smile on his face once Junmyeon looked at him. He would lie if he said he didn’t like it. It was like Sehun was replaced by someone entirely else. Securing the towel around his waist, he opened the door.

Sehun stood in the kitchen, brewing some coffee for the two of them. “Oh, are you sure that you weren’t replaced by Cthulhu who rose from the depths of his eternal slumber just for that?”  
Sehun looked up, his eyes flitting over Junmyeon’s body. He unconsciously bit on his lower lip before his eyes went back up to Junmyeon who was regarding him with a raised eyebrow. “Pretty sure our lord and saviour would’ve had different plans for such a snack like you and it’s my duty to save you from him and his antics and make you mine alone.”  
Junmyeon furrowed his eyebrows and coughed awkwardly. “Just had to make sure you weren’t replaced by aliens or such and you don’t look like a citizen of Innsmouth to me. Never took you for one to call the Great Cthulhu ‘lord and saviour’.” He felt the heat spreading across his nape when he shuffled into his room to change into some clothes. Dragging his body back into the living room, he sat on one of the barstools at the kitchenette. His eyes naturally flitted over Sehun’s body, who was only wearing pyjama pants. “Like what you see?” Sehun leaned over the small table and tilted Junmyeon’s face up to him, a smug grin adorning his lips.  
“Just thought you’re pretty good looking for a disgusting fishman who worships the Destroyer of the world.”  
“Maybe I should sacrifice you to him?”  
“I guess you have to get past Nik first-- Shit!”  
Sehun took a sip of his coffee and his expression distorted before he added more sugar into it and stirred the coffee again, “Why ‘shit’? Did you forget something?”  
“How should I explain my limping to him and the numerous love bites on my neck and the ones all over your torso?”  
“Oh shit, Nikita… But I think the colour suits your extraordinarily well and--” The doorbell sounded, announcing a visitor. Junmyeon looked at Sehun who just shrugged his shoulders. Jumping down the barstool, he winced in pain before opening the door.

🜄 w.

“Nikita!” Junmyeon squeaked out and automatically slapped his hands over his neck. Sehun, alerted by the other’s presence, hit his knee on one of the handles from the lower cupboards, in an attempt to flee into his room.  
“Oh! What did you do to my little Junmyeon, you monster?”  
“Mutual consent, I swear!” Sehun never felt that afraid in his life but right now he felt like he had an aggressive mama bear before himself.  
“Ah, Nik! Calm the fuck down. You’re not my mother and I’m old enough to--”  
“My innocent little bean,” Nikita hugged Junmyeon close to his chest and Sehun felt something bubbling up in him, something he couldn’t really pinpoint, but it felt familiar and it left a bitter taste on his tongue. He had this feeling a few times when Junmyeon was too close to other people for his taste, this feeling of possessiveness. 

The bickering between the two friends turned into white noise while Sehun processed the emotions and realised what it was: “Am I jealous?” He asked himself and the two friends stopped talking to each other, both looking at him, while he inclined his head and his eyes fell upon his flatmate, Sehun pointing towards himself. “Myeon, am I jealous?”  
Junmyeon looked concerned and threw Nikita a short look. The taller of the three pulling the second barstool from the cover of the table and sat down. Junmyeon climbed back on his own and Sehun leaned against the sink he cleaned while Junmyeon was still showering.  
“What do you mean?” Junmyeon asked and Sehun reached out for his hands, something he always wanted to do naturally, holding onto his hands. Junmyeon let him do it, he was glad.  
“It makes me angry to see you with other people? No offence, Nikita,” Sehun didn’t dare to look up and he thought to himself that playing with Junmyeon’s small fingers was way more interesting.  
“You never felt jealous before, Oh?” Nikita deep baritone voice resonated in his ears and he shook his head. “I always got what I wanted. Not like my parents spoiled me, the opposite was the case, I’m working since I was able to, but more like in regards to people? When I wanted the girl, I got her? Something like this? Without, like, lifting a finger?”  
“Hmm,” Junmyeon’s thoughtful hum sounded and Sehun looked up in shock, afraid the male would already turn his back on him.

“People come naturally to you and orbit you like planets the sun. I saw that in uni many times already when you came over the one time because I forgot my stuff at home and you took it upon yourself to bring it over? Their eyes flit naturally to you since you have a strong and domineering aura. That’s why you probably never felt this way because people come to you and not the other way around?”  
Nikita hummed in affirmation and received a cup of coffee from Sehun, “I agree, people usually go out of my way due to my height, so I have to approach people 50/50. Some are just curious because I’m so tall and others? Well, I don’t even know. Jun, it’s different for you, isn’t it?”  
Sehun stopped what he was doing and looked up at Junmyeon.  
“Ha, yeah, remember how awkward I was at first? Sehun, Nik and I visited like two or three courses together, but never spoke until the second half of the first semester because I was too awkward.”  
“I tried to approach you a couple of times but you always got away. I already thought you’re afraid of me.”  
“Nah, I’m just oblivious in some cases.”  
“That’s why I waited for you to approach me, greeting you when we crossed paths, maybe even somewhat stalking you in the lecture halls or sitting close to you in practice. Waiting for you to finally talk to me.”  
“Nikita, in all seriousness, I would have beat you up if you had done something like this to me,” Sehun finally won his composure back, once the three fell into a comfortable conversation and they talked about his jealousy. It was a bit weird, but it’d helped him immensely to cope with it. Junmyeon let out a cute giggle and Sehun felt his heart beating faster, he couldn’t help but already fall for Junmyeon after all this time. He really needed to officially apologise to him.

“If you’d excuse me for a minute,” Junmyeon got up from the bar stool and tried to mask his limping on his way to the bathroom and Sehun’s eyes naturally fell upon his small frame and ass. Coughing was heard beside him and Nikita regarded him with an accusing raise of his eyebrow.

“I give you my word, Oh, if you lay a finger on this man, I'll see you hanged by sundown. Don’t break his heart, he shouldn’t have had it broken in the first place. I swear, I’m not afraid to get him away from you, if I have to. I’m still wary of you since we don’t live together, but if I ever see you with people other than Junmyeon, hell will break loose.”  
Sehun felt himself automatically nodding, from what he already got he wouldn’t only have to fear Nikita’s wrath, but Junmyeon’s best friend’s as well.  
“Sehun, I give you this one chance to prove yourself worthy of Kim Junmyeon.”  
“Yes, Nikita, I try my best to make him happy--”  
“Not ‘try’, do it. You don’t need to become boyfriends, I swear to god, but if you just use him, I’m coming after you.”

“What are you talking about?” Junmyeon emerged back from the bathroom.  
Sehun was about to say ‘nothing’ when Nikita chimed in with: “I just threatened him to cut off his--”  
“Nik!” Nikita gave him a quick wave before hugging Junmyeon and he left the two alone again. It fell silent again.

It went quickly awkward between the two of them. Sehun inhaled deeply and walked up to Junmyeon, who stood next to the coffee table, watching him with wide eyes. When he stood tall before him, he raised his arm and ran his knuckles, for a second time that day, over Junmyeon's cheekbone before turning his hand and cupping his cheek. Junmyeon visibly tensed and his eyes wavered, his breaths quickening. How dearly Sehun wished to know what was going on in Junmyeon's mind after the drunk confession, but Junmyeon seemed to be willing yesterday. "Was it mutual consent or did I force myself on you?"  
"I-it was mutual consent but I wished it would have happened under different circumstances if I'm honest," Junmyeon averted his eyes, his cheeks dusted in a rosy colour, when he covered Sehun's hands on his face with his own, "But I enjoyed it--"  
Sehun wasn't sure if he heard the last words correctly but he tilted Junmyeon's face up and he didn't realise that a wide smile rose to his lips, "I'll take care of you, Junmyeon Kim. I'll show you that you can trust me, if you let me." He pulled back and stepped back to the kitchenette.

“Junmyeon?” Sehun called out when he turned back and Junmyeon was still standing at the table, face hidden in his palms. He looked up and Sehun enjoyed the view of a full-fledged blushing Junmyeon. He patted the countertop next to him and Junmyeon waddled over, heaving himself up on the counter top and Sehun made himself comfortable between his legs, “Just to warn you, I can be extremely clingy.”  
“I like the clingy you already,” Junmyeon answered when he wrapped his legs around him and reached for his neck. Sehun let his hands roam over the exposed skin under the shorts Junmyeon was wearing.  
Massaging his thighs, he looked closely at him, leaning closer, he whispered in his ear. “And I’m extremely possessive, Myeon, you hear that?”

“If I can keep yourself to me that way, I won’t complain,” Junmyeon grinned smugly, suddenly pulling Sehun towards him and taking the taller by surprise, when he felt Junmyeon’s soft lips on his. Savouring the feeling, he wrapped his arms Junmyeon and deepened the kiss.  
Detaching himself from those lips, he looked down on Junmyeon who stared at him in wonder, his hands rested on Sehun’s naked chest.

“So, there’s this one question I have,” Sehun boldly pushed up Junmyeon’s shirt over the chest, “This here. What’s this?” Junmyeon seemed to be a bit confused until it dawned on him.  
“Ah! My tattoos?”  
“Uh-oh.” Sehun let his index finger trace the outline of Junmyeon’s chest piece, while his other covered the one on the ribcage.  
“What about them?”  
“Do they mean something to you?” Sehun finally looked up to Junmyeon who wore a fond smile on his lips, his eyes crinkling into oh-so-beautiful crescents.  
“This beauty here,” Junmyeon patted proudly his chest and it made Sehun chuckle in admiration since Junmyeon was grinning like a Cheshire cat and looked a little weird patting his chest like that. “This is a Boeing 307 Stratoliner, the goddamn thing that made me fall in love and obsessed with aviation, such a beauty. She was the first commercial transport aircraft to enter service with a pressurized cabin, four-engine airliner based on its B-17 heavy bomber...”  
“Myeon!” Sehun couldn’t help himself but burst into full-fledged laughter, slumping down over Junmyeon on the counter. This was one the reasons why he was slowly but steadily falling for Junmyeon and he didn’t even want to deny it since it was one of his roommate’s loveable charms. Junmyeon was slightly confused, his eyes glistening like the ones of a child on Christmas.  
“You have such a beautiful but weird laugh--”  
“Myeon,” it was Sehun’s turn to blush like mad, trying to mask his embarrassment, he pointed at the wrench tattoo, “What about this?”  
“Erm, yeah....”  
“Yes?”  
“Uhm...”  
“Ribcage is pretty painful, isn’t it?” Sehun asked while dragging his thumb over the wings.  
“Well, the wrench with the wings is somewhat an international sign for us mechanics since nothing works without us, no aircraft will fly without us, but...uhm… Ed and I may have gotten a tattoo drunk?”  
Sehun just stared speechless at him, another new side of Junmyeon, “You did what?” He let his hands grace over the still exposed skin, going for a little tickling and waited for Junmyeon’s answer.

Speaking of him, he squirmed under Sehun and tried to push him away, to catch his breath. “Sehun!” he squeaked out, shy and blushing.  
“Junmyeon.” Sehun tried to sound as casually as possible with him, but he knew he couldn’t uphold his ‘cool’ demeanour with the smaller. To expressive the possible responses, the eyes, the lips, everything. He didn’t realise how hard he already fell for him.  
Junmyeon averted his eyes and the blush spread further, his cheeks definitely rosy and his lips were quivering as if he tried to hide a smile. Sehun thought that the sight was the most endearing thing he ever saw, when Junmyeon reached once again for the cords of his pyjama pants to twist them between his fingers and pulling at them, looking anywhere but actually at Sehun.  
“What do you want, little Myeon?” Sehun rested his hands on Junmyeon’s legs around him, running his hands along the expanse of the thighs.  
“Would you, maybe, uhm...”  
“Yes?”   
“...Go out with me?” Junmyeon rambled and pushed the words together, making it sound like he said ‘goutwithme’, the blush turning deeper and him swallowing the words. Sehun heard him, but he couldn’t help himself but play with him. He reached softly for his chin and turned his face to meet his eyes, a smirk curling lazily on his lips, his eyes turning into crescents, “Little Myeon, you need to speak more clearly with me if you want something from me.”  
Junmyeon’s eyes went wide and he swallowed his saliva audibly, “F-f-forget, w-what I said!”  
“No, no, repeat it,” Sehun let his face inch closer, “You can whisper it into my ear if you can’t speak loudly.” He let his lips graze over the shell of Junmyeon’s ear and the latter’s breath hitched. He pushed his face towards his ear, cupping the back of Junmyeon’s head with his hand, holding him in place. He had a feeling it would be easier for the older to ask again if he didn’t see his face and Sehun’s natural instinct to play around.  
“Would, would you go out with me tonight, Oh Sehun?” Junmyeon pronounced each word carefully, trying not to jumble over his own words, his hands curling into fists on his shoulders.

Sehun pulled back, he breathed out a ‘gladly’, before claiming his lips again, enjoying the feel of his lips way too much.

_ Lan Maris, Middle of September, two weeks later, Campus. _

Sehun realised it was way more difficult to get rid of some people than expected. Talking about young adults being understanding… 

Sehun and Junmyeon were lazing around in the autumn sun in the uni’s own park, a tree spending some shade. Junmyeon leaning against the tree, studying for his second last module for his theory part of his ATPL, the ‘Principles of Flight’ currently. Sehun had his head rested on his thigh and stared into the leaves that were shaking softly in the warm breeze and he enjoyed the few specks of sun breaking through the roof of leaves and spending some warmth on his face. He enjoyed the soft hums of Junmyeon and the scratching of a pencil on paper, the birds chirping from time to time, the almost inaudible tapping on the calculator Junmyeon used.  
“Where you at, Myeon?” Sehun redirected his eyes to Junmyeon who was still looking down and apparently didn't hear him. Sehun reached out and pushed the glasses up and that got Junmyeon out of his trance. He looked at Sehun in bewilderment and Sehun repeated his question, pushing the fringe out of Junmyeon's face.  
Junmyeon flicked through his folder, searching something, he looked back at his checklist, “Well, ‘Apply the formula for a given altitude and speed.’ I dont have one currently, I’ll do it later. That leaves me right now with Bernoulli’s equation which I currently try to find. And I have to define ‘total pressure’.”  
“Mind explaining it to me?”

Junmyeon's hand came to rest on his scalp and Sehun leaned directly into the touch when the older raked his fingers through his hair and Sehun enjoyed the knowledge that he’s the only one to receive such special treatment.  
“So, Bernoulli’s equation, this is the common form of it, valid at any arbitrary point along a streamline:  
(v²/2) + gz + (p/ρ) equals constant--”  
“What?”  
“I’m not finished yet, so: v is the fluid flow speed at a point on a streamline, g is the acceleration due to gravity, z is the elevation of the point above a reference plane, with the positive z-direction pointing upward – so in the direction opposite to the gravitational acceleration, p, is the pressure at the chosen point, and ρ is the density of the fluid at all points in the fluid.”  
“Bless you, what did you say? I’m pretty sure you have a shortened form for it.”  
Junmyeon exhaled audibly and rolled his eyes, Sehun saw that and pressed his lips into the crook of his neck, making the smaller squirm and giggle in his arms.  
“The change in the ρgz term along the streamline is so small compared with the other terms that it can be ignored. For example, in the case of aircraft in flight, the change in height z along a streamline is so small the ρgz term can be omitted. p+q=ρ₀, basically: static pressure plus dynamic pressure equals total pressure. And that’s the equation of incompressible flow of equation, there’s also one for the compressible, fluid dynamics and thermodynamics.”  
“That’s way too complicated for me.”  
“Is that why you focus more on Navigation?”  
“Aye, I said I aspire to be a second mate and maybe someday work on an expedition ship.”  
“If you only want to listen to my voice, say so,” Junmyeon shook his head but couldn’t hide the smile forming on his lips. Sehun noticed that and he loved it.  
“Your voice is the most beautiful sound to me.”  
“And you’re the most embarrassing human I know,” Junmyeon giggled. 

“You’re in your fifth semester now, aren’t you?”  
“Yes, but due to me studying seven, you finish just half a year after me. Hey, don’t pull that frown on me, Myeon.”  
“But isn’t your internship in the fifth one? And aren’t you moving out soon, with the construction finished earlier than expected and all that shit-shat? I guess you want to live back in your old dorm?”  
“Hey, Myeon, why so gloomy? You are correct,” Sehun bent up and kissed the frown away, “But I already made a request to live with you until I finish uni.”  
“You did what?”  
“Can’t let Myeon live alone again, I already re-educated you to keep the dorm and your room clean. And about the fifth semester--,”

Sehun suddenly pulled Junmyeon down and pressed his lips to Junmyeon's before letting go and grinning at the incredulous looking male, who gaped like a fish at him, too surprised to even blush from the display of public affection. “I'm lazing that semester since I already finished my time on sea and since I don't want to shorten my time here, I'll do other stuff.”  
Junmyeon let out a sound of understanding and started packing up his things, “Want to go out for dinner this evening and we can continue talking about it?”  
“Sounds good to me, the little bar again?”  
Junmyeon smiled at Sehun and nodded his head, the younger already reaching for Junmyeon's bag, shouldering it and pulling the smaller up with him.

They were almost at the dorm building when they heard a familiar voice. “Oh my, Oh is marking his territory that I’m, for once, able to witness with my own eyes.”  
The duo turned around and saw Nikita approaching with some people. Sehun pulled Junmyeon closer by wrapping his arm around his shoulders.  
“Well, Jones, I have to, otherwise you rats with wings won’t keep your dirty fingers away from him.”  
“Hear, hear. The stinking sailor Oh has spoken,” he got in response.

“What is he doing here? Are we still harbouring them and him of all people?” One of his friends commented and Sehun felt Junmyeon shifting in his arm as if he was trying to hide. He gripped the side of Sehun’s shirt and turned his face towards his chest, “Hey, Myeon, everything okay?” he asked in a whisper and Junmyeon shook his head.

“Jones.” “Oh.” The two shook hands.  
“You friends with that rat?”  
“What’s your problem, man?” Nikita asked the boy and shifted to Junmyeon’s side, ruffling his hair.  
“Him, who else?”   
“Well, apparently not only him, but Jun as well, if I remember correctly.”

Sehun turned towards Nikita, this was news to him, “Care to enlighten me?” Junmyeon shifted closer to him and started shaking and he wrapped both arms around him, Sehun turning towards Nikita.  
“If I tell you, you’ll get a complaint about manslaughter.”  
Sehun slowly turned around to the guy, a menacing smile rose on his lips, he snarled, “At this moment, I don’t care what you did, but that you did something at all. If I ever see you near Junmyeon, I’ll make sure to make your life a living hell. Nik, see you.”  
“See you, Sehun, Jun.”  


Sehun dragged Junmyeon towards their shared home and quickly closed the door behind them.

🜁 a.

Junmyeon was led to the couch and Sehun made him sit down, crouching down before him, holding onto his hands, “What happened?”  
“I--” Junmyeon took a deep breath and tried to calm down. After a few attempts, he finally found his voice again, “He’s probably one of the biggest homophobes out on campus,” Junmyeon felt Sehun’s hold on him tightening, “and, and he once cornered me and wanted to beat me up, because I would ‘defile people like Nikita with my gay disease’ and shit like that… Nik came to my rescue, but guess what, that douche is Nik’s flatmate and they couldn’t get rid of him or better said, they filed a complaint and he has to move out by next semester.”

Sehun looked like he was about to seriously murder someone when he stood up, Junmyeon gripped his hands hard and pulled him down, “No. Don’t even think about it, you’re better than that.”  
Sehun caught himself on the backrest of the couch and stared down Junmyeon. Sehun's breath fanned over Junmyeon’s face and their noses almost touched. One hand came up to his face and slowly dragged his thumb over Junmyeon's lower lip and cupped his jaw, exerting pressure and forcing his face even closer, their lips almost touching. Neither said anything and Junmyeon let his hands travel towards Sehun’s face who was just inches away from him, staring down at him with an unreadable expression and it frightened him. “Sehu--”

He wasn’t able to finish his name when Sehun suddenly crashed his lips to his and sat down, pulling him onto his lap, making Junmyeon straddle his lap and squeaking in shock. Sehun’s hands were groping his butt and he pulled him closer, looking up to him, his eyes dark, “If he comes ever near you again, I’m coming for him.” The deep voice fueled with hatred and hurt, affection and possession, sent a shiver down his spine and he whimpered. Sehun pulled off Junmyeon’s shirt and threw it away in one swift motion, running his hands over his naked skin, rough and unfocused. Junmyeon felt Sehun’s irregular breathing against his neck before he sucked on his skin and a mark, a bruise, slowly formed on his skin. A whimper escaped his lips, Sehun smiled against his neck, dragging his tongue over the abused skin and Junmyeon shuddered in his arms, another small whimper escaping him. 

Sehun scraped his teeth over the skin when his lips travelled towards his collarbone and sucked again and Junmyeon couldn’t escape his grip on his hip and the hand on his back that pressed him into Sehun. He detached his lips and Junmyeon looked down at Sehun who had an intimidating look in his eyes, he felt his throat constricting, when he swallowed saliva and a smirk rose on Sehun’s lips, “Little Myeon~”

Sehun’s voice sounded like a sin to Junmyeon’s ears and it made him submit without a second thought. His voice broke, calling out for him, inaudible, whispering, deferring himself to Sehun who had him in a steady hold. Sehun’s domineering aura radiated at the same time with not just dominance, but Junmyeon felt protected at the same time; it made his inner turmoil die down.


	7. Words / Six Days at the Bottom of the Ocean

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [words](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kukIkAT1Fm4&feature=youtu.be) by evan jolly  
> [six days at the bottom of the ocean](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gl3nMU11jIg) by explosions in the sky
> 
> \--
> 
> [ CELESTIAL NAVIGATION FOR YACHTSMEN 4th Edt. 1964 (reprinted 1978) by Mary Blewitt  
> › Section One: Theory ‹  
> » Hour Angle « ]
> 
>  
> 
> Example B (Fig 5) You are somewhere in Italy (Long. 15° E.) at 11 a.m. local time. The LHA [Local Hour Angle] (broken line) is 23 hours or 345°, since it is an hour before your noon.  
> The Sun has farther to go, however, to reach the Greenwich meridian so the GHA [Greenwich Hour Angle] (unbroken line) is only 22 hours or 330°.  
> In longitudes east: GHA + observer's langitude = LHA.  
> 330° + 15° =345°.
> 
> P = North and South Poles.  
> G = Any point on the Greenwich meridian.  
> Z = The observer.  
> X = Geographical position of the heavenly body under discussion.

_Lan Maris, late January 2020, Lecture Hall._

🜄 w.

It has been half a year now, with neither of the two ever talking about what they are, since the confession. No-one asked if the other wanted to be his boyfriend, it just happened. They never shared an ‘I love you’ since that night, unspoken actions seemingly way stronger. Both weren’t very fond of PDA, but they also couldn’t keep from one another, sticking together every time they could, especially since Sehun had no lectures this semester which gave him more opportunities to bug Junmyeon. Like that day for example.

Junmyeon just recently finished and passed his Multi-engine Instrument Rating for his ATPL and that left him with the last three parts of his modular ATPL and a total of four and a half months of modules. At this rate, he would be finished shortly after his 29th birthday. He also already had to start collecting everything together for his next end of term exams. He still was unsure how to unit the practical modules for his ATPL and the modules in university together and constantly chided himself for not taking on the ATPL modules in university but decided to pursue further education as an aircraft mechanic. He spent most of his time at the airport or in flight school and both Nikita and Sehun complained about him never being available. Either full concentration on the ATPL or university, but since his priority was the license, he would concentrate on that, but the modular breakdown of the modules let him decide when he wanted to start the next module and for the next one, the Commercial Pilot License, he was exempt from the theoretical part, since he successfully passed the Theory exams. But this would take around another three and a half months and he decided to start that after his exams, so he would be a little bit less stressed the next few months. Sehun constantly voiced his admiration for Junmyeon who managed to somehow finish his ATPL earlier than expected, not messing up his grades, working and being ahead of his peers in university and it seemed he would even manage to finish uni even a semester earlier. Nikita and Sehun tried talking Junmyeon in taking it slower and assuring that nothing is running away from him, since he already had a job offer. At that rate, Sehun was afraid Junmyeon would drop dead from the workload.  


Junmyeon stared into his reflection when he looked down into his paper cup, half filled with lukewarm coffee, half his face hidden in his turtleneck and his beanie just above his eyebrows. He was shivering like hell and the heater didn’t seem to be working correctly in the lecture hall. He was tired, dead tired, and a lecture at eight in the morning wasn’t helpful at all. An arm was wrapped around his shoulders and he was pulled into a chest, a hand running up and down his arm, creating some much needed warmth. Sehun didn’t lie when he said he’s extremely clingy.

 

It made it around on campus that Sehun was settling down as far as a twenty-something could settle down, but it was uncalled for that students even married and got children during uni. However, it seemed like some had a problem with either the fact that it was openly displayed homosexuality or with either one of the two, but Sehun couldn’t believe that someone wouldn’t be able to like Junmyeon-- well, he was biased, no denying it there.

 

His hand was running up and down Junmyeon’s arm, who sighed in content. Closing his eyes, he leaned closer into him. The smaller’s hand wandered to Sehun’s thigh, staying there while snuggling PDA-friendly with Sehun.  
“I’ll miss you,” Junmyeon whispered, loud enough for Sehun to hear. He chuckled, “It’s only a week, Myeon.”  
“Can you believe that I’m probably unused to sleep alone in my dorm now?”  
“It’s the same as sleeping alone in your room--”  
“Sehun? You’re the one asking me if I could come over and share your bed with you...”  
“It’s just because your bed is too small for the two of us.”  
“It’s called a ‘single bed’ for a reason, Mister,” Junmyeon shook his head and smiled faintly.  
“Are you implying something?” Sehun asked in fake surprise, dramatically placing a hand over his heart.  
“Yes. Single bed. My bed. Mine alone. Just for me and my sweet little ass. Not for your loud mouth.”  
“Your ass is really swe--”

 

“Oh, you’re disgusting, stop harassing my little Jun with your sexual and uncalled for remarks.” A hand suddenly reached over Junmyeon from behind. “So, Oh, what are you doing here?” Nikita exchanged Junmyeon’s empty paper cup with a steaming glass mug from the uni’s cafe, heaving his bags over the seat and dropped it on the ground next to Junmyeon. “If I had known you’d be here I would have still brought no coffee for you as well.” The younger rounded the seats and switched into their row, taking the seat next to Junmyeon. The older automatically detached himself from Sehun who wasn’t fond of it, and warmed his hands on the mug.  
“Jones, that’s way too sweet of you, the way you care about your elders,” Sehun replied somewhat sarcastic, reaching for Junmyeon’s coffee who swatted his hand away.  
“Mine, hands off!”  
“Jun, that’s no way to treat your boyfriend,” he whined. Nikita chuckled next too Junmyeon.  
“Sehun, we’re talking here about coffee in the morning, I have my priorities, go buy yourself a coffee.” Junmyeon raised the steaming liquid to his lips, savouring the smell of freshly brewed black coffee, humming in contentment when the too watery but bitter fluid went past his oesophagus/gullet and warmed his stomach.  
“And you’re talking boyfriend now?” Nikita commented while booting his laptop for the lecture.  
“I just say what everyone’s saying behind our backs and I’m only here for some time since I won’t see Myeon all day long and for the rest of the week.”  
“Why?” Nikita leaned into Junmyeon and looked at Sehun. It irked Sehun that Junmyeon and Nikita were naturally close to each other, too close in his eyes.  
“Because usually I would have had my internship this semester, but since I already finished my time on sea as NAO, I don’t need to and am, to some extent, on vacation? But my uncle called and asked for my help on his barge, apparently he has to visit the hospital and needs someone to step in and he doesn’t trust his crew enough for that or it’s more about him wanting someone who already stood in as a skipper a couple of times when he’s off the boat.”  
“Skipper, is that something like First Mate?”  
“Nah, the skipper is equal to a captain.”  
Nikita let out an ‘ah’ in realisation and nodded slowly his head, before turning to the front since the professor finally arrived.

 

Junmyeon tilted his head slightly towards Sehun, eyes trained on the professor and hands not letting go of the coffee, “Is your uncle alright?”  
Sehun let his hand slide down his back and let it come to rest at the small of his back, rubbing circles with his thumb, “He is, but it’s checkups from an earlier illness years ago.”  
Suddenly Nikita leaned back into Junmyeon, his arm draped over the backside of Junymeon’s seat, “Wait, that took me some time. Boyfriends? Rumours? Let me in on the tea, I want to sit in the first row.”  
Junmyeon piqued up while he scrolled through his Instagram feed, “While people say they have no problem with homosexual couples, their looks speak volumes. Apparently, even at uni, it’s unusual that gay couples or whatever are openly dating.”  
“Well, the aircraft faculty isn’t that big after all and we have a lot of close-minded people here, that’s for sure,” Nikita commented while pulling back and leaning into his seat, his eyes wandering over the small but packed lecture hall. Sehun knew that the nautic faculty was already close-minded but the aerospace one stepped up its game, especially in the maintenance branch Nikita and Junmyeon studied. He only got the looks when he wandered their halls on the search for Junmyeon to bug him, but he overheard Junmyeon saying that he even gets catcalled or similar stuff to Nikita. He didn’t tell it to Sehun and that was something he didn’t like one bit. But he was right; they weren’t an ‘official’ couple, so Sehun had no full right to pry and he knew he had to do something about it, but even after half a year, he couldn’t really pinpoint his feelings. Yes, he did love Junmyeon, but he had a feeling it was different from Junmyeon’s feelings from him, but if you love someone, it’s love, isn’t it? Regardless of how you categorise it. ‘I love you’ means ‘I love you,’ doesn’t it?

 

Alone with his thoughts he didn’t realise the lecture already almost passed, when he leaned over to Junmyeon, close to his ear. Junmyeon stiffened in his embrace, a natural instinct of his when he sensed that Sehun was to do something that could take him off-guard. “I love you,” Sehun whispered lowly in his ear before pulling away with an unfazed face, showing that he’s serious. He enjoyed the view of a flabbergasted Junmyeon who was gaping like a fish on land, trying his hardest to process the information that was just stuffed in his brain with force. Once the piece of essential information reached its core, the colour started to rise on Junmyeon’s face, especially when Sehun propped his head on his fist so he could peer better into Junmyeon’s face. A smug grin bloomed on the younger’s face when his hand from the backrest of Junmyeon’s seat wandered down to his thigh, slowly massaging it, his hands running up and down the expanse of the thigh. Junmyeon, shaking lightly, started to hastily pack his belongings and Sehun took it as his cue. The smile rose further on his lips and the tips of his fingers itched. Junmyeon, still out of it, wanted to say something to Nikita, but he just managed to wave his hand, before Sehun pulled him up and along under the watchful eyes of Nikita. The smaller almost bolted out of the door but Sehun had different plans. Pulling him into the opposite direction, he led him one level upstairs into the nearest bathroom stall. Pushing him into the farthest stall, he locked the door behind them and turned Junmyeon around against it, pressing up to him, leaning into him, his hands on his face. He peered into his eyes before pressing his lips against the smaller, connecting them as he didn’t waste a second to move them against Junmyeon, who reciprocated the action. His hands wandering down to Sehun’s hips, pulling him closer while Sehun was busy wrestling his tongue into Junmyeon’s cavern. Breaking apart to breathe, Junmyeon stared up at him with a flushed face and lips slick with saliva, breathing heavily. “Fuck, Myeon, I love you so much,” Sehun breathed out before leaning in, grinding against Junmyeon. He knew his own erection started to build the second he told Jun that he loved him for the first time since the initial one. Junmyeon’s lips escaped a low moan and Sehun knew that he was just as affected as him. “I love you too,” he whispered, his eyes a little wet and Sehun pulled him onto his lap, when he sat down on the closed lid of the toilet seat. His hands experimentally running up and down his backside and his hand undid Junmyeon’s belt so his hand could slide between the skin and the pants, massaging his ass. “Hun, we can’t, we’re in uni,” Junmyeon commented while he was busy peppering Sehun’s neck with kisses and his hands slipping under his shirt.

“We can’t? You seem way too excited, Myeon,” Sehun commented smugly when he pushed up Junmyeon’s shirt. Junmyeon wanted to say some something, but he just sighed a soft moan when Sehun sucked on his exposed nipple that stood erect from the cold air in the bathroom. He made Junmyeon bite down on his turtleneck to hold it up while his hands roamed the skin, wandering to the front of Junmyeon’s pants and palming him through his jeans. Junmyeon’s hands on his shoulders gripped harder while he groaned into his shirt since Sehun was especially rough that day. His hand dipped into Junmyeon’s briefs and wrapped around his erection, while he sucked on the expanse of his collarbone. Retrieving the latter’s dick, Sehun rubbed his thumb in circles over the tip of Junmyeon’s dick, spreading the precum, making Junmyeon squirm in his arm and softly moan as much as his sweater let him. Suddenly the door leading out of the bathroom opened and a wave of outside noise flooded the room before the door fell back into lock and two students entered the bathroom, talking animatedly with one another. Junmyeon stiffened in Sehun’s arms and stared with pleading eyes at him, but Sehun wasn’t having it and increased the strength and pace, getting Junmyeon to wrap his arms tighter around him, collapsing into him to muffle each possible sound while the younger’s other hand massaged his buttcheek, his index finger passing by his hole. Shortly after the steady sound of two people pissing in the pissoirs surfaced and Junmyeon squirmed even harder in Sehun’s hold, soft sounds escaping between his gritted teeth and his hands clawed even deeper into Sehun’s shoulders. He was sure the marks would be deep. Sehun was quick to undo his own pants and let his hand slip in to pull out his own dick. Wrapping his hand around both of their dicks, he nibbled on Junmyeon’s upper lip and the latter was quick to let go of his sweater and connected their lips, whining almost into Sehun’s mouth, when the flushing of water sounded and the two students started washing their hands while still talking. Sehun felt that Junmyeon was close and he couldn’t hold back any longer as well, the adrenaline and the situations fueling their shortcoming release. Once the door fell back into lock, Junmyeon, who wasn’t usually vocal, detached his lips from Sehun and tipped his head back, releasing a deep throaty moan/groan when he came, staining his abdomen and Sehun’s hands. Sehun, taken aback by his behaviour increased his pace, using Junmyeon’s cum as lube and followed shortly after. Heaving heavy breaths, he let sack Junmyeon into him who let out a string of mumbled curses while blindly grabbing after the toilet paper, cleaning them up in the process.

 

”Wow, Myeon, I didn’t know you could be this vocal,” Sehun commented unusually smug when he got cleaned up, his hands on Junmyeon’s hips, rubbing circles on the skin and let out a curse when Junmyeon gripped especially tight.  
“Fuck you, Oh Sehun. Shame on you and your family and your nonexistent cow and whatever. I fucking hate you,” Junmyeon sounded extremely embarrassed and he continued cursing Sehun while standing up and pulling his pants back up. Sehun still sitting on the lid _with his dick laying bare,_ smirked at Junmyeon and tried grabbing him, but the smaller escaped him and unlocked the door, stepping outside the stall, kicking his backpack with his feet. Still cursing, he got rid of the dirty toilet paper and cleaned his hands thoroughly under the running water and also his abdomen. Sehun appeared behind him fully clothed and wrapped his arms around him from behind him.  
“Go away. I’ve just cleaned up,” Junmyeon elbowed him. Sehun, grimacing in pain, pressed a kiss behind Junmyeon’s ear, his weak spot, and he almost immediately calmed down. “Calm down, tiger, I just wanted to wash my hands.” He held his hands under running water, after he used some soap.  
Junmyeon, sighing in defeat, shook his head, “Couldn’t you just have used the other sink?”  
“No.”  
They pulled on their jackets after they dried their hands and left the bathroom.

 

But it wasn’t the case for Junmyeon, who turned on the spot and barreled into Sehun’s chest. Sehun, taken aback for the second time, looked down at Junmyeon’s mop of hair before looking straight ahead. He made awkward eye contact with Nikita who stood down the hallway, playing with his phone, leaning against some lockers with a smug grin on his lips. Pushing himself off the surface, he slowly walked towards them, “Jun, did you forget our weekly breakfast after the lecture?”  
Even Sehun felt deeply embarrassed for once and he gulped heavily before shooting the taller an equally embarrassed laugh while scratching his neck, “I pay for breakfast?”  
“I hope you do, you two took your sweet time in there and based on the unfazed expressions of the two guys that came out earlier, I assume you managed to stay hidden?” he asked with a wink before turning on his heel and going ahead. Sehun wanted to ask if he waited for long, but that would just help Nikita in teasing them. As if on cue, Nikita turned around, grinning widely at them, “Don’t worry, I just thought you might not be able to resist your urges and take it to the nearest spot possible and I didn’t arrive until the two guys left the bathroom, so I didn’t wait long.” He winked and turned around again, before turning back around “Ah, one thing, Jun, your neighbour asked me how you manage to live with Sehun? He complained over the volume sometimes, I’m not sure, maybe it’s just you two giggling like school girls or other more adult things?”  
“Maybe the bed?” Sehun heard Junmyeon mumbling under his breath, the colour deepening.  
“Well, no-one knows this unspoken agreement you to have- had, I guess one of you must have said something so that this agreement was turned into something tangible.”

 

“I hate you, Oh Sehun!” Junmyeon mumbled while detaching himself from him, scurrying after Nikita, calling out for him to listen to him and slow down his steps. Once he reached him, he grabbed for the taller’s elbow, being led away while turning around, calling out for Sehun, “But I still can’t help it and love you nonetheless.”  
“God, you two are awfully disgusting early in the morning!” Nikita cried out exaggeratedly while dramatically ruffling his hair.  
Sehun, frozen from Junmyeon’s radiating smile while shouting those words, felt the emotions gripping his heart in a death grip. He was fucked. And he loved it.

 

Breakfast went by quickly and Junmyeon dropped Sehun off at the train station, right after they had dropped by their dorm to pick up Sehun’s duffle bag for the week. Sehun couldn’t help himself to keep his hands off Junmyeon after he had finally voiced out his feelings. With the duffle bag next to his feet, he had Junmyeon in a tight hug, peppering his face with endless kisses on the platform, reassuring Junmyeon that it would be only a week, but he was reassuring himself more since it was hard for him to leave Junmyeon’s proximity. All those months in which he grew so accustomed to Junmyeon’s constant mom-like nagging, how caring the older was. When Junmyeon stared at him without restraint when he thought Sehun wasn’t looking, the shy glances in public, when he reached for his hands, intertwining their fingers. The rosy blush on his round cheeks, the excitement in his eyes when he talked about something he was passionate about. Was it possible to be jealous of inanimate objects and places like aeroplanes and airports? Sehun surely was.

 

“Hey, Sehunnie?” Sehun hummed in response when Junmyeon slightly pulled away. “I know your books are mainly for decoration, even the ones for uni and don’t think about arguing against it. But I have something for you. I don’t think it’ll be very useful for you, but, uhm...”  
Sehun crossed his hands over the small of Junmyeon’s back, giving him a bit more room while he was playing with Sehun’s jacket sounding bashful, smiling fondly down at him. “It’s probably super outdated and useless,” Junmyeon reached into his tote bag he had draped around his shoulders, presenting an absolutely used and old edition of a small hardcover edition of ‘Celestial Navigation for Yachtsmen’. “Maybe, if you want to, uhm, you could read it on the train?” Sehun, totally overwhelmed with everything, was speechless. He didn’t function that exact moment, his brain having a total meltdown. When Junmyeon worriedly called his name, he snapped out of his trance and just pressed his lips against Junmyeon’s in a kiss, reaching for his nape, hidden under his beanie, turtleneck and scarf. He tugged him closer to himself and deepened the kiss, exploring his cavern as if it was the first time, nibbling on his lower lip, sliding his tongue in, claiming him.


	8. Pale Moon, Guide As Ashore / High

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [Pale Moon, Guide Us Ashore](https://youtu.be/d3FCji8qc6Q) by I Hear Sirens  
> [High](https://youtu.be/saGQWDnnMLo) by Timmy Trumpet ft Bliss N Eso & Lee Fields
> 
> \--  
> [The Ten Craziest Things Ever Shoved Into An Airplane](https://jalopnik.com/the-ten-craziest-things-ever-shoved-into-an-airplane-1693021573?trending_test_three_d&utm_expid=66866090-68.Rvuykf2qT9qOAx_axtw3_w.1&utm_referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.co.il%2F)  
> [3.) A Giant Freaking Laser](https://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--jbCUzFDd--/c_scale,f_auto,fl_progressive,q_80,w_800/grj6mhawxtgl3gcbxfay.jpg)  
> What's the most badass way to deflect a missile? A giant laser, obviously. The Boeing YAL-1 (which was a modified 747) carried a giant laser onboard that would be shot out of that glowing orb thingy on the nose of the plane.
> 
> The project was (sadly) cancelled.

_Somewhere in the country on a canal, February 2020, Sehun’s uncle’s inland vessel._

🜄 w.

 

Sehun stood on deck, the first mate guiding the vessel through the small waterway before they would reach the sluice and go down.  
“Uncle?”  
_“Sehun, I’m sorry I am restricting you for the second week on the ship, but the doctors found some spots in my lungs and would like to examine them closer, I won’t be there for another two weeks.”_  
Sehun cussed under his breath while pressing the phone closer to his ear. “Take off as much time as you need, uncle. I’ve packed enough clothes and we’re going on land for two days after we deliver. One mate told me he asked his wife if she would be willing to do laundry and she accepted.”  
_“But I’m hol--_ ” his uncle fell into a coughing fit and Sehun felt his heart clench, “ _Your studies?_ ”  
“I told you, I’m off uni this semester because I already finished my time as NOA.”  
_“But what about a girlfriend, you have one, don’t you?”_  
“They’re doing good, I just called them yesterday and they’re doing fine, they still have their studies since they study in a different department.” He wasn’t sure if his uncle registered his use of pronouns or just didn’t comment on it, but damn him coming out like this. If he had learnt anything, it was that sailors were unnaturally more prone to be homophobes than the common man on the inland.  
After a few more friendly words, he disconnected the call and stared right ahead to the vessel’s bow, deep in thought.

 

He didn’t call Junmyeon yet, but he already warned him the week before that he might have to stay longer since his uncle wasn’t all that well. Junmyeon understood, but Sehun heard the dejection through his phone. They never were separated for longer than a couple of days, even if they managed to not see each other for a couple of days albeit living together. And being far apart just after they confessed their feelings again for the first time, it was an important point of change in their relationship.

 

Sehun was on the edge the whole two weeks already, it just intensified with each passing day he wasn’t able to see Junmyeon before his very eyes. And it made him realise how addicted he truly was to the older, how desperate he was for him, how dependent he was on him. He gnawed on his lower lip, chiding him for acting like the desperate lover boy he was and couldn’t even deny it. And if the whole thing should really be the start of a serious relationship then he doesn’t want to imagine what the future will be, when both of them work and Sehun couldn’t even be two weeks without Junmyeon in the present.  
Absentmindedly he scratched over his left upper arm, when he leaned against the railing behind the bridge, staring down into the swirls of water that started to form into little whirlpools behind the stern, after being forced apart by the bow. His palm clasped over the tattoo of the Kraken on the arm he got a few months prior. He went together with Junmyeon who had his third session there for his thigh tattoo of extremely intricate dotwork of an albatross. Sehun still tried to figure out the reasons behind him getting a seabird instead of any other bird out there, since the albatross was superstitiously connected to bad luck. But Junmyeon just smiled softly whenever Sehun asked him, cupping his cheek and dragging his thumb over the apple of his cheek. It always made Sehun’s intestines melt and boil at the same time from the warmth he received from him, the love he still didn’t deserve.  
“Fuck, why didn’t I tell him earlier?” he hit his fist on the railing and his face contorted at the same time from the extruding pain shooting through his hand into his lower arm.

 

“What didn’t you tell him earlier, Cap?” someone asked from behind.  
Sehun swivelled around, glaring at the First Mate, who leaned out of the window of the bridge. He scratched his beard which he had grew out for a couple of weeks now and Sehun was proud he had such an even and thick beard growth he didn’t know he possessed after always looking out for his look and shaving his face on a daily basis, but since he got Junmyeon for himself... Junmyeon never once said something negative about it, Sehun remembered, rather he looked at Sehun with a more hungry gaze? Sehun wasn’t sure, but he liked it, “What did I tell you about eavesdropping on your Captain, Mate?”  
“Youngster, you shouted it out, even Mike popped up his head and he is halfway through the bow.”  
“Sorry. But it’s nothing, I just remembered something.”  
“Mhm, you’re coming up? We’re almost there and have to wait for another vessel to pass through first, after we arrive.”  
Sehun jogged up to the bridge, taking two steps at once, “Alright, after that the vessel will be unloaded and Mike discharges the cargo and we get everything ready for leaving empty in two days time.”  
“Aye, Captain, you’re okay with staying alone on the vessel? I’m pretty sure one of us has an empty guestroom for you.”  
“No, Jeremy, it’s okay. Maybe I need two days off from you guys, but I’ll take up on dinner and lunch.”   
“Alright, but we’re still going out this evening?”  
“Sure.”

 

It was a sleepy little town, but at the same time it felt like living in the city, the town definitely coming to fruition from the strong infrastructure with its vessel harbour and the train freight traffic that was more frequent than the actual personal train service. Sehun was impressed when the sailors dragged him along in the evening.

 

But there were one too many people trying to get his attention, some woman even grabbing his ass when he walked past her to get to the bathroom. Looking at her incredulously, she continued to make eyes at him and her gestures were explicit. Back in the day, he would have snatched the opportunity; she was hot, no possibility to deny that, but he was devoted in a relationship, especially with Junmyeon and he shook his head before walking on. The woman seemed to have misunderstood his reaction, maybe on purpose, and followed him. Sehun, quickly sliding into a bathroom stall, pulled up his legs when he sat on the closed lid, stemming his feet against the door in case she decided to push the doors open. He really didn’t want any confrontation that day and waited silently, until the clicking of the heels didn’t sound anymore and the door fell back into lock. Locking the stall behind him he sat on the lid before pulling out his phone and writing a message to Junmyeon, asking how he’s doing. The latter went to the cinema that day with Nikita and for a couple of drinks after that.

 

Junmyeon almost responded on the spot, asking if something had happened since Sehun usually never wrote when he was out or not suddenly like this. He promised to call Junmyeon once he was back on the vessel since he was about to leave anyway.  
Finishing his business he exited the bathroom after washing his hands, avoiding the woman who already found another, more willing target, and parted with his men.

 

Back on the vessel, he once again checked everything, before disappearing into the captain’s chambers and stripping off all his clothes except his boxer shorts. Fortunately, he turned on the heating before he went out and it was comfortably warm so he wouldn’t have to wear thick clothes while sleeping. Laying down, he heard the soft waves swashing against the concrete railing and the boat fender swaying between the boat and the concrete. The monotonous rocking of the vessel calming him down immensely and he realised how much he actually missed sleeping on a ship after he finished his NOA before he started uni.

 

Turning his phone on, he squinted at the brightness of the display before turning the brightness down. He tapped on the phone symbol and tapped on his most frequently contacted number. Getting a ring, he turned the speaker on, placing the phone on his chest, looking outside with the arms crossed behind his head.

 

 _“Hey you,"_ a soft, slightly crackling voice sounded from the phone’s speaker.  
“Hey babe, did I wake you?” Sehun directed his eyes back to the ceiling of his cabin.  
_“No, no, I just waited for your call,”_ shuffling was heard from the other side, as the person rolled on their side in the covers, sighing softly, " _I miss you.”_  
“I miss you too, just hearing your voice isn’t satisfying enough--”  
_“It’s just two more weeks, you said, and your uncle’s sick, so he should have prio to you, don’t you think? I think I--”_ Junmyeon did sound unsure, but Sehun wasn’t sure if he heard right.  
“I love you,” Sehun blurted out, rendering Junmyeon on the other side speechless. He felt fidgety and embarrassed for blurting it out like that, it was still foreign to him to utter those words.   
“ _I-- I love you too,_ ” Junmyeon chuckled on the other side and shuffled again in the covers, the shuffling way taking way too long since he only had a small bed.  
“Myeon?"  
“ _Yes?_ ”  
“Are you in my room?” Silence elapsed on the other side of the phone and the breath hitched. Sehun felt himself smiling in adoration, “You know, you don’t have to feel ashamed of it, it just confirms that you miss me as much as I do you.”  
_“Shut up, you sea rat.”_

 

“What are you doing in my room though? It’s not like I dislike it, just curious.”

 

“ _Smelling your sheets and jerking off while doing it,_ ” this time it was Sehun that was stunned since the answer came without an ounce of hesitation, but it also did arouse him a bit, but damn him saying that out loud when he knew how Junmyeon would cannibalise it without a second thought and pick on him every time he could.  
“ _Already jerking off with the mere thought of me doing that?_ ”  
“Wha--”  
“ _I’m joking, Hunnie, I may have had one drink too much,_ ” Junmyeon chuckled softly into the receiver, the covers shuffled again and he sighed again.  
“The real question is, are you?”  
“ _Are_ you _? Jerking off thinking about me while you’re gone? Wrapping your hand around your dick, imagining it would be my ass sucking up your dick?”  
_“Jun?!”

 

Something dropped loudly and a low ‘fuck’ was heard from far away before some more shuffling reached Sehun’s ear and Jun’s voice came out strained, “ _Fucking god dammit phone! Ah, shit, come here, you little piece of shit._ ” The voice gradually grew louder,“ _Sehun, are you still there? I dropped the phone because my arm almost fell asleep._ ”

 

Sehun didn’t really realise he was already stroking his dick through his briefs, the mere thought of Jun naked beneath him or on top of him was just too sweet and arousing for his hazy state of mind, “I’m still here.” His own voice sounded deeper and more hoarse to him when he reached for the phone and turned the speaker off, pressing the phone closer to his ear. Junmyeon’s laboured breathing sounding so much more intimate and thrilling into the quietness that was the ship and harbour.  
“ _But for real though, I would be lying if would say I’m not affected by the distance between us--_ ” Junmyeon’s voice broke as if he was assessing if he should say next what he wanted to.  
“What are you wearing, Jun?”  
“ _I-- your shirt and bri-briefs..._ ” Junmyeon’s voice gradually lowered in volume and Sehun almost didn’t hear him. He couldn’t help himself when he pictured Junmyeon in his shirt, a view too familiar for him. Junmyeon in the morning when he slept in his room, throwing over a shirt that belonged to Sehun, with his briefs on, the shirt just deep enough to reveal the colourful love bites just below his shoulder, down the back of his neck, and the ones on his inner thighs, when he just moves enough with one leg to reveal the bruises to Sehun’s hungry eyes. How the shirt riles up when he’s stretching to get a mug for his coffee down from the cupboard. When Sehun walks up behind him, pressing his lower region against his ass, pulling Junmyeon’s shirt up… enclosing his hand around his dick, he started stroking it, “Do you only jerk off or do you actually touch yourself, imagining me filling up your ass?” Sehun was partly testing Junmyeon’s patience, riling him up and lastly genuinely curious since they never talked about masturbation. And Sehun still hadn’t luck to walk in on Junmyeon masturbating.

 

The breath on the other side of the phone was heavy and irregular, “ _Fuck, Sehun--_ ” Junmyeon’s voice sounded muffled, as if his head was pressed into a cushion, it changed into a low and throaty moan and Sehun grabbed harder, increasing the speed slowly but surely after grabbing the bit of lube he had with him to ease the feeling of his dry and chapped hand surrounding his dick. The sound from the other end was slick and obscene, “ _Don’t talk about your dick up my ass, when you won’t be able to physical pound into me against the kitchen counter, or me being able to ride you._ ” Junmyeon spoke under such strain it just aroused Sehun even more. Silence filled by panting and low moans surrounded the two lovers. But the next words almost brought Sehun to his edge, “ _Having my fingers up my ass or anything comparable can’t even compete with the feeling I get when you're just hovering over me, staring down on me, when your fingers leave this fleeting touches on my skin, leaving a burning trail of skin, before you bury yourself in me, Sehun_.” Junmyeon’s voice was so deep and clear as if he was right beside Sehun and the latter felt the heat already pooling in his stomach. Just listening to the soft sounds and moans Junmyeon made, the images of Junmyeon shivering under him, the layer of sweat coating his bare chest and forehead, how he would curl his fingers around Sehun’s biceps, the way his back would arch when Sehun hit his prostate, the short and muffled screams when he cursed Sehun for taking his time, teasing him, the obscene sounds of wet skin slapping against wet skin that Junmyeon hated so much. Or when he would ride Sehun, leaning back on him, his hands on his knees when he purposely would take a slow speed, Sehun who would claw his fingers into his thighs when Junmyeon met his thrusts head-on, multiplying the feeling of friction against his bare skin. The way Junmyeon would constrict around his dick when he was coming, riding his high out or letting Sehun ride it out, his hole so oversensitive he shivered so much, his voice shaking so hard he almost couldn’t speak, the tears accumulating at the corners of his eyes, the way he softly sighed out Sehun’s name whenever Sehun took care of him. Even his habit of cussing when coming was so deep-rooted in Sehun’s mind he was always afraid he didn’t do his job right or Junmyeon wasn’t feeling well when the latter didn’t curse Sehun at least once.

 

The slick sounds increased in speed on both ends of the connection, Sehun’s release drawing incredibly fast close, when he spoke Junmyeon’s name and thrust into his hand, the sudden rush when he released his semen into his hand, stroking his hand in erratic strokes over his dick. Imagining Junmyeon so clearly it hurt him that he wasn’t in his direct proximity, halfway across the country, barely clothed in his bed, fucking himself with Sehun on the phone.   
“ _Fuck! Sehun! I need you!_ ” a guttural moan escaping Junmyeon when he came, he barely managed to form the words over the erraticness of his voice.  
Sehun listened to Junmyeon’s voice how he slowly calmed down, silently cursing the mess he made in Sehun’s bed. Sehun, running the back of his hand over his forehead to get rid of the hairs stuck to it, his chest still heaving against the moonlight illuminating his upper body, ”I love you, Kim Junmyeon.”  
A chuckle vibrated in his ear, “ _I love you too, Oh Sehun. Come back home soon and safely.”_

 

“I hope I can, but seems I’ll be here an additional two weeks, they found some spots in my uncle’s lungs and would like to investigate further.”  
“ _And I told you to take as much time as needed. It’s about your uncle’s health after all and that’s no minor problem, Hunnie,_ ” Junmyeon reassured him, his concern genuine. “ _And I have no idea if I’m able to get some time off to try and visit you._ ”  
“How would you visit me anyway? You don’t have a license and I think you won’t be able to rent some small engine and fly to me?” Sehun chuckled, but the idea intrigued him, but he had no idea if he could go another two weeks without Junmyeon. He was desperate.

 

_Somewhere near the coastline, 3rd week of February 2020, Highway._

🜁 a.

 

He was pissed off. Not mildly pissed off, but the hella dangerous one. In Nikita’s eyes, it was one of the most humanly dangerous moods Junmyeon could be in. And right now he was stuck in a traffic jam and the one driver he asked said that it was just one of those that appear out of thin air because people are too slow, but that didn’t explain the total stop for a couple of minutes now.  
Snapping his visor back he placed one foot on the ground and checked his phone to see what the internet had to say. Apparently, someone’s car managed to break down in the early stages of the jam and stopped everything. Pocketing his phone back into the bag, he started the engine again and accelerated, moving slowly forwards, inches away from the car in front of. He caught the driver’s eyes in the rearview and gave him a thumbs up, reassuring him that he had everything under control. He rolled close to the sidelines of the road whenever the cars moved ahead while he waited for his chance to take over. He craved a cigarette so bad. Sunken in his thoughts he didn’t really realise the car before stopped him again and the lights suddenly turned off, but he did hear a car door being smacked close. Lifting his eyes, he assessed the man from the car before him closing in on him. He still let his helmet on.

 

“Sorry, but do you have a lighter, news’ just said we stay here for the next thirty minutes, not even stop-and-go.”  
“I can’t fucking believe it!” Junmyeon cussed while pulling the helmet off his face, “Sure, I have one.”  
The man offered him a cigarette in exchange for the lighter, “Going somewhere or just enjoying the weather today?” He leaned against his railing of the road while Junmyeon unmounted the motorcycle.  
“Both, mainly because I have to be somewhere and because I just picked my engine up after being at a friend’s garage for over a year.” He walked up to the stranger and also leaned against the railing, lightning the cigarette finally.  
“Sorry for asking, but was it broken?”  
“Ha, fortunately not and my mate usually tried to keep it going while I couldn’t.”  
“Looking good, how much longer do you have to go?”  
Junmyeon snapped off some ash from his cigarette before lifting it back to his lips, taking a long drag from it, he checked the active location Sehun sent him earlier the day before, after Junmyeon managed to chat him into sharing his live location without revealing his intentions and Sehun even voluntarily told him they would go on land for the rest of the day in a small city, because the had to delete the cargo before they would take off the next day. Sehun didn’t even get suspicious after all those questions.  
“Well, I’m running against a loaded waterway vessel and that means I still have two hours if I don’t get into more problems like this bullshit here.” He let his outstretched arm glide over the expanse of the traffic jam. He started to undo his jacket, his body starting to sweat a little without the airflow from driving. Another motorcycle pulled up, using the emergency lane to move like a snail forward. He held up his hand in a greeting when he spotted Junmyeon on the sidelines who raised his hand in return.

 

Another twenty minutes and two cigarettes later, he said his goodbyes to the stranger, when they saw the cars starting to move slightly, indicating that the traffic jam finally started to disperse. The motorist next to him already took the emergency lane again, trying to get between the cars further down the road. Junmyeon waited a bit more, the car before starting to roll slowly, but suddenly Junmyeon had a car next to him that tried to push him back so it could get in between him and the car upfront. He would have tolerated it any other day if it wasn’t for his mood that day and he flipped the driver off. He slowly accelerated the engine and the man in front gave way to overtake on his right side on his lane. Exactly what Junmyeon needed and he gave the man a low wave before speeding up, since it was also his exit from the highway to the next one.

 

The second highway that would bring him almost directly to Sehun was eerily empty and Junmyeon speed up, pushing himself down on the tank of his bike, he let the wind cling to his clothes, enjoying the airflow he usually only felt when up high in the air with some open double deckers or similar.

 

Shifting into an even higher gear, he used the possibility of the last twenty kilometres on the highway on his last stage before he would drive the last thirty kilometres over less populated but smaller streets. This was a feeling of freedom he dearly missed ever since he moved to Lan Maris and left his mother and his motorbike behind.  
Ten kilometres before his destination, he checked with the live location again and saw he would be there before Sehun, just as he had planned. Sehun told him they would stop at the dyke first where they could get off for a bit before pulling into the cargo bay.  
Junmyeon was ecstatic. He didn’t see Sehun in three weeks and just heard his voice over the phone or their occasional video calls and this was planned on a short term notice, when he spoke with Jared, when he was back home for a couple of days, visiting his mom and his goddaughter for her birthday. Jared snooped through his phone, like always, while he was looking for something and was greeted by a passcode to unlock the phone and another couple of pin codes for a photo album in the gallery and the messaging app Junmyeon used frequently.

 

Junmyeon vividly remembers himself saying that he wanted to keep Jared’s ‘ _virgin eyes devoid of the dark desires the gays have_ ’; they were good friends but that wouldn’t mean Jared had to see his nudes sent to Sehun and the other way around.

 

Junmyeon manoeuvred his motorbike down the street and slowly drove along the canal with open visor, only twice a car coming across him. Parking his bike on the small parking lot, he pulled off his helmet and checked his phone. Sehun should be there in ten minutes and Junmyeon was seriously antsy about how it would unfold. He shed his jacket and draped it over the seat of his motorbike, the soft, yet warm breeze cooling him down a bit. He wandered off to the little elevation behind the parking and lot and sat down. A few sailors passing him and greeting like the friendly men they were.  
“‘eard the old Oh is still in hospital and his nephew is in command for the time being.”  
“Yeah, deh’ should be ‘ere in a few, deh mate is me guilty a beer.” Two older men stood together at the berth, speaking in such a volume everyone was forced to eavesdrop on them. One of them had one of his front teeth missing and spoke with such a thick accent that Junmyeon had trouble understanding him, while the other looked fairly young if it wasn’t for the hoarse and scratchy voice and the pipe in his hand that screamed stereotypical sailor. 

 

He rolled a cigarette and shot his Ma a quick message that he arrived at the berth, he just forwarded the same message to Jared who called him out in capslock just a minute later for being referred to as Ma and that Jun only writes such loving words to his mother and not him as a best friend. Smoking slowly, he saw the vessel finally approaching and people walking along it and someone sticking his head out of the bridge.

 

Junmyeon stood seated, while the vessel slowly manoeuvred towards the berth, one mate jumping down on the ground to go for the rope anchorage and another one putting the fenders between the boat and the berth itself. Junmyeon was frozen, seeing Sehun again after three weeks with his massive full beard that grew so much in that short time and the additional two weeks before that, his skin had a light tan from the mild February weather and the endless sunshine - he was beautiful, so beautiful that Junmyeon felt blinded by it. When Sehun excited the bridge, he greeted the two older men in a friendly and loud voice, something Junmyeon missed as well, the deep voice that set his bones into vibration when Sehun whispered into his ear. The latter let his eyes flit over the parking lot, his eyes staying a split second on Junmyeon before he looked further around, if it wasn’t for his eyes suddenly doubling in size and his mouth opening and closing like a fish on land before his head snapped back and he pointed towards Junmyeon who finally managed to stand up on smiled at Sehun on wobbly legs. He didn’t know what happened when Sehun suddenly grabbed the railing and leapt over it onto the ground, almost slipping between berth and ship, getting everyone into a shock, before running up to Junmyeon at the speed of light, tackling the older down when he finally reached him. Junmyeon was pushed down due to the brute force and he didn’t register at first when he felt Sehun’s soft lips against his for a split second before he pulled back and hid his face in the crook of Junmyeon’s neck, praying softly that it isn’t a dream.

 

“It’s really me, Sehunnie,” Junmyeon treated his fingers through Sehun’s unkempt hair that was streaked with knots from all the wind over the course of the past few days. He stared up at the clouds, a serene expression adorning his features. Sehun left soft kisses in the crook of his neck while showing no signs of letting go.  
“Sehunnie,” Junmyeon giggled, “Your beard is tickling me.” He tried pushing his face away but didn’t actually use strength at all.   
“You don’t like it?” Sehun pushed himself up, his elbows next to Junmyeon’s head, looking down on him, his eyes every once in a while dropping to his lips who wetted his suddenly dry lips, Sehun following the motion.  
“You look pretty hot with the beard,” Junmyeon winked suggestively while reaching out and running his fingers through it.  
“Seriously, if we wouldn’t be in public...” Sehun’s voice dropped low and a smirk danced around his lips.  
“Hey, lover boy, what are you doing there?” someone hollered and Sehun sighed deflated and rolled off Junmyeon, sitting up, but his fingers secretly intertwining with Junmyeon’s.  
“Cuddling my hyung!” Sehun shouted back.  
“Your _what_?” A man leaned against the railing, looking very amused.  
“Which _your_? ‘You are’ or ‘your’ as in mine?”   
“Ah, fuck you. Got a radiogram from the harbour, one hour till unloading the cargo and further to the berth for loading and anchor there till the day after tomorrow.”

 

They talked for some time, until Sehun looked over to Junmyeon, before scooting closer, intertwining their fingers a bit tighter, squeezing them, “I missed you, babe.” Sehun’s face was radiating off love and his smile was so wide, his eyes crinkled into crescents.  
“Why do you think I’m here, Hunnie? I missed you too,” Junmyeon let his thumb draw circles on the back of Sehun’s hand still lying down.  
“That makes me wonder, how are you even here?” Sehun pulled back and regretted it when he let go of Junmyeon’s hand and missed the warmth. He took in Junmyeon’s appearance; he was wearing a thick jacket, that looked suspiciously like one motorist wore, yet he only wore jeans and boots- Sehun’s eyes suddenly shot over the expanse of the parking lot and his eyes narrowed on the motorcycle. “Wait, don’t tell me my super hot boyfriend is driving a motorcycle!” He almost screeched from shock.

 

“I never corrected you when you said I’d no license, I didn’t comment on it and I also never told you about it.”  
Sehun was gaping, “I always thought it was Jared’s based on the photos, but-- Fuck, that’s hot.”  
“I have a second helmet, so I could take you on a ride, baby boy,” Junmyeon’s voice dropped uncharacteristically deep and suggestive, when he reached out for Sehun’s thigh, squeezing it tightly and the latter felt the colour rising on his face and the pet name wasn’t helping at all. Sehun felt all his desires pooling in his gut and he suddenly felt way too warm in his clothes.

 

“Are you blushing, Sehun?” Junmyeon peered into his face when Sehun averted his eyes. Pointing an accusing at his boyfriend, Sehun glared at him, “You cannot just come here and drop a bomb like this on me when I didn’t see you in over three weeks.”  
“Cap!” the mate from earlier hollered.  
“Go, Sehun, I pick you up when your cargo is loaded, I have to check-in at the hotel where I'm staying.”  
“Hotel? Staying?”  
“Double bed, Sehun.”  
Sehun coughed into his hands when he directed his eyes back at Junmyeon, who looked at him with dark eyes. He jerked, when suddenly Junmyeon’s hand on his thigh moved to its inner side, “Will you stay with me tonight, Sehun?” Sehun rolled away in shock, crimson, before he jumped up and averted his eyes, “I’d love to.”

 

Sehun tried to get himself somewhat presentable before he exited the vessel, his mate looking at him weirdly when Sehun at first pulled his hair back, looking into the mirror, tousling his hair again, before pulling at loose strands, running his fingers through his beard, before hiding parts of it behind his hands, “Should I shave?” His mate jerked away, not expecting the sudden question and rolled his eyes, “Why?”  
“Because reasons?”  
“I saw your friend driving past us after we almost reached the bay, I think it’s more important to be dressed warmly instead of looking good?”  
“I know, it’s jus--”

 

“Oh, there’s someone waiting for you!” Sehun looked shocked and definitely not ready when one of the other sailors called for him. His first mate pushed him towards the berth.   
Once, Sehun’s eyes fell on the frame of Junmyeon he forgot how to breathe. He exchanged his motorbike jacket for a black leather jacket and suddenly everything fell into place with the black jeans, black turtleneck and the boots. Crushing the cigarette butt under his heel, he had a helmet pressed against his hip. Sehun forgot how to walk and stumbled. His shriek won Junmyeon’s attention who talked to one of the sailors at the berth, who looked at his motorcycle.  
On wobbly legs, Sehun finally approached Junmyeon, who smiled at him. “Hey, handsome,” Junmyeon’s voice was low, a teasing twitch appeared at the corner of his lips when he spoke.  
“Since when did you become even more handsome than before?” Sehun asked when the former beckoned him closer and pulled him down to stuff his head into the helmet, checking if it did indeed fit and tried moving the helmet that stuck in place.   
“That’s just imagination, you didn’t see me in three weeks and now I suddenly appear like a prince on a white horse, but instead I have a motorcycle. Let’s go, you’re in for a ride and not only that one, but there's also another one waiting after lunch,” Junmyeon added with a suggestive raise of his eyebrows and wink.


	9. Polaris / Above The Clouds Lies Eternal Sun

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [Polaris](https://youtu.be/QMEo9D4hZBk) by Exxasens  
> [Above The Clouds Lies Eternal Sun](https://youtu.be/Q3V48_AAR2Q) by Joy Wants Eternity  
> \--  
> [What Is Wrong With All Our Maps?](https://www.scienceabc.com/social-science/what-is-wrong-with-all-our-maps-mercator-maps.html)  
> The map most commonly used in the world is the Mercator map. This is the map that we see in classrooms all over the world. This is also the map that formulates our basic ideas of what our planet looks like. In fact, even Google Maps uses the Mercator map.
> 
> To be completely honest, it IS a convenient map. The latitudes and longitudes are straight lines that intersect perpendicularly, the rectangular shape is nice and compact for printing, and the shapes of the countries are well defined. However, the one thing this map does not get right is the relative sizes of the countries. The countries near the poles are portrayed as being much larger than they really are.

_The Netherlands, Amsterdam, April 12, 2029: Schiphol Airport._

_🜁 a._

 

Junmyeon was briskly walking up and down the airport lounge, phone closely pressed to his ear, his co-pilot looking worriedly at him. The dial tone was so loud, it was deafening and the anxiousness started to rise with every passing tone.  
“The number you are trying to reach is currently unavailable.”  
He ended the call and redialled. Another minute of waiting for the connecting tone.  
“The number you are trying to reach is cur--”  
He almost hurled his phone through the airport lounge.  
“God! Kim! Calm down, maybe he has no reception where he is right now.”  
The called male didn’t respond and clutched his chest, flinging his pilot cap on the seat next to the other man, who flinched in response.  
“It’s fucking hurricane season in the Pacific, Dave. The fucking hurricane is passing by their route today--”  
“Kim, calm down, I need you with your full concentration today,” the other man stood up and grasped Junmyeon by his shoulders, shaking him. “’member, we have no idea if we can lift off today because of the weather, Kim. We’re on the same boat like him, we might have minor weather turbulence if the sheikh releases us from this airport.”  
Junmyeon grumbled to himself, his co-pilot was right, right now they were at the sheikh’s mercy. He kicked the ground and fumbled for his pack of cigarettes in his breast pocket, pulling his trolley along, after gathering his things, pulling out a cigarette with pursed lips, marching briskly towards the designated smoking area at the visitor platform. The other man rushed along, feeling pity for the young man.  
While they were out on the terrace, a staff informed them that the sheikh delayed the flight by approximately another ten hours because the weather was a mess over in Dubai and the sandstorms were going strong. Junmyeon was furious and so was his co-pilot, it would be a night flight.  
“Just because of his fucking Maseratis, Rolls Royce’sese, whatever cars–”  
“Royce’sese—” Dave snorted.  
“Shut up, oh, I swear, by my love for Boreas and Albion at the same time, oh, the sheikh–”

 

The co-pilot only saw the young man he met in 2021, freshly graduated with his Engineering Bachelor of Science in aircraft construction, concentration on engine and undercarriage, who mentioned that he somehow managed to finish uni a semester early and still couldn’t believe it. He was thin and small, yet loud and boisterous in his appearance. Dave was afraid the man’s sleeves might rip from how thick his biceps were when he was introduced and shook hands with Junmyeon; when the material of his pilot shirt stretched around his chest. Dave made sure the man would wear his shirts at least a size bigger. His paternal instincts kicked in when he learned who Junmyeon was, or more specifically, who his father was when he witnessed Junmyeon and Sehun by mistake. He calmed him down, aware that Junmyeon’s father was actually working at the same airline as his son was. Dave, only older by fifteen years, saw Junmyeon quickly turning into a son figure for him and the latter didn’t reject that. He had a strong preference for the young man, making sure he would get him as co-pilot for the longer flights, the airline questioning him and his decision because he was never one to take in the greenhorns for the long flights.  
Junmyeon proudly gushed about his goddaughter and her little brother, like they were his own. He had sung praises for his mother, never ceasing to amaze Dave with his stories, about Nikita and Jared, the stupid things they had done, but he never really talked about Sehun.  
When Junmyeon was 34, he had told him about himself and Sehun when they flew from Barcelona to Toronto, 6.400 km and approximately nine hours, just the two of them. Dave learned it had been their five-year-anniversary that year, that day. Junmyeon had been still 29 when Sehun told him that he loved him for the first time, that he had to take over his uncle’s vessel because he was sick, how Junmyeon surprised him on a motorcycle. Junmyeon invited him to his and Sehun’s wedding, taking the older off guard and almost making him cry, while Junmyeon was piloting the aircraft, keeping his eyes on the equipment, even if the auto-pilot was on.  
The wedding was simple, yet beautiful, casual, in 2022. Dave felt out of place, not knowing a single person there. But he was included as if he always belonged there and his wife and their younger children were overwhelmed with the love they received, being basically strangers for everyone else around them. He met the infamous Jared and Nikita, thanking them for being always there for Junmyeon, his inner parent came out and Junmyeon’s mother thanked him with tears in her eyes, his own wife consoling the woman.

 

Junmyeon sat on the balcony of their shared hotel room, smoke coiling from his nostrils and the smoke from his cigarette travelling along his slender fingers, rising at the base of them into the air. He tried reaching Sehun multiple times now, only once had the call connected but was disconnected after the first noise. He almost hurled his phone over the railing. Despite him being one of the most patient people humanity would’ve known, he was an impatient bastard when it came to his husband. He would willingly commit homicide if someone was to touch Sehun or similar. He lost all patience when it involved Sehun and he wondered how he managed to live through uni, but he knew he got bitchy after Sehun confessed to him and the latter didn’t seem to mind at all, the opposite seemed to be the case. Sehun seemed to be extremely delighted with a jealous Junmyeon at his side and it surprisingly never caused problems between the two of them, even if Junmyeon and Nikita were still extremely cuddly towards each other. 

 

They had a massive fight only once and it was Junmyeon’s fault, and he was aware of it. Sehun had found him unconscious on the ground when he returned from a yachting trip, malnutritious, suffering weight loss and a severe rash from too much stress and workload. They shouted a lot, Junmyeon bound to a hospital bed, an IV stuck in the back of his hand. He wouldn’t stop crying the whole night, even when Nikita tried to calm him down when Junmyeon hated himself for lashing out on Sehun even if it wasn’t his mistake at all. Nikita negotiated between the two, even getting Jared and Junmyeon’s mother involved. It was a painful week for everyone, but it worked out in the end.  
A semester later, during Sehun’s and Junmyeon’s graduation -a big event since it was the first time both the aeroscience and the nautical department had their graduation festivities on the same day- Junmyeon dropped to his knees and offered Sehun a simple, elegant and yet understated engagement band, whispering something about engagement rings being totally ridiculous, overrated, expensive and somehow only for straight couples. He didn’t even ask when Sehun dropped to his knees, embracing him and giving him one of the messiest kisses he had received in his lifetime, muttering _‘yes’_ over and over again, crying like a baby.   
Junmyeon felt himself starting to smile when he looked at that photo from the exact moment he asked Sehun to be his lifelong partner and husband (and best friend, keeping that from Nikita and Jared though). He thumbed over the picture, furrowing his eyebrows when he swiped up through the movement and pulled up the technical details of the picture. He swiped back down, revealing Sehun’s expression again.

 

Eight hours later, the two men were ready for take-off, rested but in a bad mood. Junmyeon talked about the fear he had for losing Sehun on the open water, 5.180 km, six and a half hours until Junmyeon could try to contact Sehun again.

 

 _2°44'47.9"N 138°09'08.3"W, April 12, 2029: Bridge.  
_🜄 w.

 

Sehun was under immense stress, the third mate helping out with finding a passage and checking the weather conditions. The hurricane pushed them off their route, the cliffs of the island way too close and the wind still pushing them in the opposite direction. One would say that the engine of a container vessel is strong enough to push against the winds, but everything that could possibly go wrong that day seemed to go wrong. Sehun managed to finally accept Junmyeon’s call just to have it interrupted by a non-functioning network service again.  
The newest weather update was sent in via satellite and this was the first time of the day there was an actual shimmer of hope; the hurricane should disperse in the next thirty minutes after it stayed unusually long in one place.   
Sehun ran his hands through his hair, sighing out. He would try to call Junmyeon as soon as he was on break, but he had no idea about what time zone Junmyeon was in, but at least he wouldn’t have to care next month when both finally were on vacation together because, for once, they had luck and had to finally reduce those overtimes both of them somehow managed to accumulate. Sure, they would visit friends and families, but a friend of Junmyeon has a little cottage housesit and take care of the house while he was overseas. Junmyeon was polite enough to ask if he could bring his husband and apparently his friend just rolled his eyes and said ‘ _keep it to the guest room and bathroom_ ’. Junmyeon’s suggestive smile sent shivers down Sehun’s spine when the older turned around to him on one of the seldom days, they actually landed somehow and magically at the same place where he met his friend as well.  
During all those years, Junmyeon became more and more ruthless and Sehun loved it. And he turned into an occasional power bottom, that was something Sehun learned after they got together officially in university, when Junmyeon visited him on a motorcycle, a fucking black motorcycle. Sehun had a half hard-on back then, something he tried to forget.

 

“Mate, what are you smiling at?”  
Sehun looked over at the gruff visage of the third mate next to him, nonchalantly raising his hand, waving the wedding band in front of the other man’s face, “Something you won’t have if you don’t change your attitude. I’m thinking about my lovely and small spouse.” Dramatically, he clutched his chest and saluted to no-one in particular.

 

“Oh, are you doing your work?” the captain bellowed over to him from the steering wheel.  
“Yes, captain, we have to correct by...lemme calculate real quick. We’re currently at,” he glances down at his Mercator projection while going into the calculations, “2°44'47.9"N 138°09'08.3"W. Our destination, the port of Shanghai is at 31° 13' 11.40" N 121° 29' 13.19" E. We have to correct by, well…. Rhumb line would be 5944 point 92 nautical miles.”  
“How much shorter is the--”  
“Sir, we would only pass the Wake Islands, using the Great-Circle distance would mean passing by the islands of Kagoshima, Sir. Plus a greater adjustment of the bearing.”  
“You win, boy,” the captain shook his head.   
Sehun braced himself, “New bearing is 286°43´12”. Change of bearing before we reach the island of Takarajima when it’s due in a few days time, if the weather stays constant.”  
The first mate leaned next to Sehun, bumping shoulders with him, he pointed at the map, “Around the Hudie Islands we get a stranger on the bridge?”  
“Yeah, a ‘local’ navigator, because after Shanghai we have to go to Tianjin. The Chinese don’t trust me, probably because my heritage is South Korean, who knows.”  
“Remember, kid, we trust you more than a navigator who has ten more years of experience than you. You’re the one who saved us from the storms out there, not him.”  
“Thanks, mate,” Sehun patted the man’s shoulder before continuing his night-shift.

 

It was almost night again when Sehun awoke from his slumber that he tried taking after his shift had ended around five or six in the morning. He couldn't sleep after that and stayed awake till early afternoon, trying to get a signal with his phone. The moment his phone connected back with the network, Sehun jumped up, and a shit ton of missed calls came in and a bunch of messages.

 

[16 new messages overall]  
>> recipient: sehun oh/work  
[14 new messages]  
>> sender: bunny <3

> | i hope you got through the storm, our flight was pushed back by 8h  
---|---  
> | i hope youre okay  
> | sehun, call me when you have time  
> | please, i miss you  
> | i read the hurricane moved on, did you get safely through it?  
> | i might be in dubai by the time you get these messages, we should land there roundabout after 1030+4? takeoff in amsterdam is at 0045+1  
> | its one more hour till your birthday is over, i still didnt hear from you, i hope youre just sleeping  
> | i told you that i dont want to congratulate via message, but i guess i have to while it is still your bday  
> | HAPPY 35TH BIRTHDAY, best friend and husband i could ask for. weve known each other for ten years now and are married for 7 (almost). i wouldve  
>> | never thought that we would get along and even become a couple, but look at us now, we’re even married!! im so unbelievably happy we met and were  
>> | still going strong despite our work and how different it is. i want to thank you from the bottom of my heart for everything you did for me and us  
>> | and yourself. im so fucking grateful for your existence in my life. 10 more days until you dock in shanghai. i miss you, sehun.  
> | i love you.  
> | i love you more than words could ever describe  
  
>> last message received on 29/04/12 1257-10  
> current time 29/04/12 2018-10

 

He moved a timezone further away from Junmyeon, while being physically closer, Junmyeon wrote when Sehun was still in the time zone for Alaska, he was now in the time zone for Hawaii. It was always a hassle to match the respective time zones and always changing the world clock on his phone.   
His birthday had passed for Junmyeon, in the middle of a storm. Sehun saw his vision blurring when he muffled his sobs against his palm. He was shaking and the full force of everything hit so hard.

 

The strain on their relationship was no joke. Sehun didn’t tell his mates that he was gay and only that he’s married, Only the current First Mate and the Medical Officer had been aware of his relationship. The racial slurs and homophobic remarks on the ship had been a daily occurrence, even if Sehun was aware of a few closet cases under his command, but he didn’t comment on it since those people also participated in those remarks. He just kept shut and turned a deaf ear to it, despite it hurting a lot. The medical officer found out by mistake, just as the Chief Mate. The doctor might have surprised Sehun while masturbating to a voice message of highly suggestive content. He needed some time to digest what he learned that fateful night since he never took Sehun for a homosexual one due the latter flirting like crazy with some waitresses and women at the ports (“Well, strictly speaking, I’m bisexual” had been his answer to that question.)  
The situation with the Chief Mate had been somewhat even more embarrassing, despite it being less embarrassing in some kind, but it had been of highly more sexual nature. The poor man had the next hotel room to Sehun and, who would have guessed, Junmyeon, who shifted his schedule so he and Sehun would be in the same city, at least for a night. And halfway through the night, Sehun had been at the receiving end of Junmyeon’s dick, gladly and vocal. The Chief Mate had assessed his dishevelled look and some very concerning coloured marks on his hip bones that suspiciously looked a bit like fingers when he scratched his stomach when they crossed paths in the hallway. “I guess the dick was good?” Sehun almost fainted and Junmyeon paled fast before the Mate had started laughing.   
But Sehun also had some unpleasant encounters with sailors of different sorts, one of them who he caught in the act of going through his things and that throwing away a crumpled photo of Junmyeon and Sehun on their wedding day. Sehun almost dragged the man to the bridge and over the railing while the thief was hurling homophobic slurs at him. That wasn’t nice to explain why he almost jettisoned and keelhauled a sailor a couple of ranks under him. 

 

Once he was sure he would have a stable connection to make phone calls and the satellite would have a clear signal, Sehun grabbed his clothes and jogged up the deck after passing by the kitchen for a quick snack. Phone between shoulder and ear, he gulped down the food while hoping that Junmyeon would pick up and his connection would be stable enough throughout the call.  It was 6 in the evening, Sehun had a few hours until his nightwatch would start and Junmyeon should still be on the ground.

 

 _“Sehun!_ ”  
“Jun-mumph,” Sehun was too hasty and choked on the last bit, coughing the piece of chicken painfully back up before spitting it out, cleansing his throat with coffee.  
_“Babe, are you okay? –...no, Sehun was too greedy and probably choked on food -wish him...– Sehun? ”_  
Coughing for a good measure, Sehun finally answered, after waving another seafarer off, “ _harrumph_ yes, I’m okay, just greedy, as always, is that a way to greet your husband?”  
_“Yes. Happy birthday, again, also from Dave. I love you.”_  
“Myeon, don’t sound so sad, we’re going to see each other very soon.” It broke Sehun’s heart, “I-”  
_“I was just worried because of the hurricane and all that, and our client pissed me mildly off, delaying our whole schedule by almost half a day,”_  Junmyeon rambled.  
“Myeon, I love you. And thanks for worrying about me, I guess I don’t need to say that it means a lot to me because that should be already clear? And I told you, I’m old enough and we have a great and competent crew here and I told you I won’t be Navigator forever on a cargo, that’s just so damn boring.” He felt himself smiling while he was comforting Junmyeon.  
_“Yeah, you promised me to take me to see the Aurora Borealis on our tenth anniversary, I take you for it, don’t chicken out of it, that’s still three years.”_  
“Haha, yeah, give me a couple of more years and I’m free from the cargos and you open up your pilot school, alright? As promised?”  
_“As promised, Sehun, as promised on our wedding day._ _”_  
“Yes, Junmyeon, just a couple of years more and I told you, I would even love you with wrinkles and marry you anytime again, without a second thought.”  
_“I love you.”_  
“I love you, too.”


	10. Clear Blue Sky / We Flood Empty Lakes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> [Clear Blue Sky](https://youtu.be/V47rJn-8TAU) by Followed By Ghosts  
> [We Flood Empty Lakes](https://youtu.be/QBBDmDF0mXs) by Yndi Halda  
> \--  
> [Did you know that...](http://www.seaplus.com/know.html)  
> the fuel burned by freighters is called bunker 380; it has the consistency of asphalt (tar) and must be kept heated at all times least it turn into a solid lump in the fuel tank; that it must be pre-heated to a high temperature prior to its injection into the ships engine?

****_Port of Helsinki, Vuosaari Harbour, September 24, 2032._

🜁 a.

Standing at the harbour, cigarette securely placed between his lips, Junmyeon bounced on his heels, his hands curled into fists in the pockets of his hoodie. He definitely had too much time on his hands, he thought to himself as he stood in the early morning breeze while the sun hadn’t even crossed the horizon yet. He watched the gantry cranes doing their work, one unloading the deleted cargo, one loading.  
He landed at the Helsinki Airport three hours ago, stashed his and Sehun’s luggage away in the lockers and checked the flight and arrival notifications, before getting his rental car and calling the Helsinki harbour for his permission to enter the harbour. He still would have some time after he would pick Sehun up, four hours max.   
At the harbour, Junmyeon had met up with Sehun’s superior, Jerome, the Chief Mate who was aware of their relationship. With Jerome, he had easy access to the docks where usually no-one was allowed, but since the Chief Mate stayed in the lodging at Customs, he was even at the landing dock for the ship.  
It had been four in the morning when Junmyeon had exited the cockpit and he wasn’t sure if he should take a nap or not. Since Jerome had texted him that the crew should be ready by sunrise with the cargo and that he and Junmyeon could grab breakfast at six at the harbour, but taking the drive into account, the half hour from the airport to the port—Junmyeon would be way too early at the Vuosaari Harbour anyway. Jerome had texted him in response that he could pick Junmyeon up at five as well. So why not take the offer?

 

Junmyeon got nervous, Sehun didn’t even know that Junmyeon would pick him up, at least not right at the loading area. He didn’t see his husband in two months once again but both did everything to get holidays around their 10th anniversary, and they managed to do it. And Junmyeon still felt deep down him turning 41 that year already, Sehun was constantly teasing him for being over forty already while he was still in his late thirties. At least he had finished his additional training as a flight instructor in 2030 already. Sehun took further correspondence courses or, generally speaking, meteorology and navigation as well as minoring in biology.  
Sehun’s dream of working on an expedition ship had changed, “I don’t want to be away from you when you settle down in Lan Maris,” had been his words before he unveiled to his husband that the university of Lan Maris had offered him a position as a teacher for Navigation after he applied two years prior. Junmyeon still wasn’t sure how he made a catch like Sehun all those years ago. He was shocked at first that Sehun had kept it from him all those months, but had told him on the morning of his 41st birthday in bed, after some birthday sex, and so Junmyeon forgave him easily.

 

Junmyeon had never changed out of his pilot uniform and it was quite a sight to see a jumpy pilot in all full uniform with any oversized hoodie, smoke or cold air coiling from his nostrils and lips, the cigarette shaking between  his index and middle finger, his eyes hastily searching between the sailors for a familiar face. Next to him, an African male with greying hair and white stubble on his chin, a weather-beaten face and scary eyes, in sweatpants and a very pink hoodie with a cup of coffee in his hands.

 

The sky was clear and the harbour was pretty quiet despite the freighter being unloaded and the first few sailors leaving the ship. According the Jerome, poor souls that had been on the sea for a good amount of eight months, working a seven day week. He added that he wasn’t proud of the way some sailor had been cared for, working a back-breaking job, almost no talking to his family, calls from the ship way too expensive, Junmyeon knew, and seeing everything the same with a bare minimum wage. 

 

Junmyeon saw him before Jerome did. Uncaringly, he flung his cigarette to the ground and started walking fast, but not soon after he ripped his cap from his head and he broke into a sprint, his lips parting in a shout when Sehun stepped on the ground, “Kim-Oh Sehun!”  
Sehun whipped around, his eyes wide and he let his duffle bag drop to the ground in shock. He managed to spread his arms before Junmyeon crashed into them. Junmyeon didn’t realise that he cried until Sehun started wiping the tear streaks off his cheeks. “Happy tenth anniversary, love of my life,” he choked out, the only thing he felt were lips on his afterwards and mumbles he couldn’t catch, a smile against his lips and another deeper kiss. Someone wolf-whistled, but Junmyeon was too infatuated with Sehun’s lips on his and the other’s hand in his hair, gripping tightly, the other hand pulling him even closer. He tilted his head to the side and felt Sehun’s tongue against his own who dived deeper. They broke apart to catch their breaths.

 

“Happy anniversary, loveliest husband of them all,” Sehun leaned in and pecked Junmyeon’s lips, his eyes were glazing and shining in the rising sun, “I love you so much, Kim-Oh Junmyeon, I love you so damn much.”  
Upon a cough, both of them broke apart. Junmyeon felt heat rising in his cheeks when he locked eyes with a stern-looking Jerome who caught up with them. Junmyeon would have been afraid, so would Sehun, if there wasn’t a traitorous twitch upwards in the corner of Jerome’s mouth and the eyes slightly turning into crescents.  
“Happy anniversary, you two lovebirds,” Jerome said and patted Sehun’s back with a heavy clap, sending him stumbling forward if he wouldn’t have slung his arm around Junmyeon’s shoulder who held him upright, “I’m glad I don’t have to be in your proximity tonight.” Junmyeon tried ignoring the stares he received and tried to detach himself from Sehun, who pulled him closer in return, mumbling into his ear, “Let them look and judge, they can’t do anything to you and this was my last tour with this specific crew, so don’t worry, Myeon.”   
“If you say so… wait, why is your voice so damn hoarse?”  
Jerome tried to be nonchalant but seemed interested as well.  
“I may have shouted too much against a storm yesterday to give orders and I’m dead tired. I’m sorry,” Sehun yawned so hard tears where showing and he scratched with his free hand through his full beard. “You like it?”   
“Don’t apologise, Hun, I’m just glad you’re back. And yes, since the time you decided to start growing a beard, twelve years now,” Junmyeon leaned in and gave him a peck on the cheek.

_South Iceland, Hotel Rangá: Reception, September 24, 2032._

🜄 w.

Sehun couldn't remember a lot from the travel back to the airport and at the gateway or the flight itself. As soon as he dropped into the seat, he dozed off. He couldn’t even feel sorry for Junmyeon for not talking to him, but he guessed the male might need some sleep as well based on the eye bags he had when he picked Sehun up. But he was happy, less than a year and he could finally settle down with Junmyeon back in Lan Maris, he as a teacher at his old university and Junmyeon as a flight instructor. The two of them didn't even really live together despite having an apartment together in Lan Maris, but usually Junmyeon was the one living there since his schedule was a bit more planned and regular than Sehun’s. At least they wouldn’t have to look for a new flat when they changed professions. But this day, it was finally time to fulfil the wedding promise, or month. Sehun and Junmyeon were on their way to Iceland for two weeks to go Northern Lights hunting and the next two weeks afterwards would be spent in Norway and Sweden. They should be back to work at the end of October after their extended holiday they planned since a couple of years now. And Sehun was still enamoured. Maybe even more than before and maybe a bit too much.

 

The fact that Junmyeon was looking better with each year was shocking to Sehun, but his mother was still looking beautiful even in her sixties so it also came to no surprise to Sehun. Just imagining Junmyeon in his fifties, still fit, slight abs, the biceps- Sehun almost caught himself drooling when he glanced over the backside of his husband who was currently at the reception. Junmyeon suddenly turned around, leaning against the counter, one hand on his hip and he glanced at Sehun with suspicion, “Dear husband, my spidey senses are tingling, what dirty stuff are you thinking about again?”  
Sehun choked on a boba pearl from his bubble tea and stabbed the roof of his mouth with the straw.  
“Aha, I knew it,” Junmyeon turned back, but the way he changed his position was sending strong signals to Sehun; the way he shifted his body weight on just one leg, leaning against the counter and pushing his backside slightly out, resting his chin on his palm, and the short look he shot Sehun over his shoulder. Junmyeon always used his whole body to flirt with Sehun, not just small winks or stares, no, he used his body to his advantage. Sehun stepped up next to him, letting his hand glide from the shoulders to his hip und pulled him closer, while resting his elbow on the counter as well.

 

The receptionist shot them a short look, a smile on here lips when her eyes flitted over the couple’s wedding bands, “Room 59. Here’s your keys, Mr Kim-Oh. Freshly married?” Her look gave off genuine interest.  
“Tenth anniversary today,” Sehun intercepted with a smile when he reached for the keys.  
“Oh, then congratulations either way, enjoy your stay,” she answered with a twinkle in her eyes, absentmindedly twisting the supposedly engagement ring between her fingers.  
“Thank you,” Junmyeon answered in his stead, eyeing the ring curiously, “Did your spouse propose?”  
“Actually, I proposed to him last week,” a blush coloured her cheeks when she looked away.  
“Congratulations, Ms,” Junmyeon reached over the counter to shake her hand, “May it be a wonderful future for the two of you, may Boreas hold a protective hand over your bond, Ms.”  
“Thank’s a lot, Mr Kim-Oh.”

 

Sehun and Junmyeon decided that they would live in luxury one week before they go on a budget and cut down and use hostels and friend’s places to stay for the rest of their vacation. Both needed a healthy dose of nature far from civilization and would trek and hike a lot. Junmyeon decided on learning basic phrases in Swedish, while Sehun tried Norwegian, even getting coached by some sailors from Norway. 

 

But once they stepped foot in the hotel room, Junmyeon jumped head first onto the bed, “I didn’t shower in two days but I wanna sleep more.”  
Sehun, upon hearing that, scrambled over to his husband and pulled him ungently off the covers, “Ew, you’re disgusting, take a shower or else...”  
Whipping his head around, Junmyeon stared suspiciously at Sehun, outright glaring, “Or else what? No sex? You would only punish yourself as well with that.”  
“Fuck, I didn’t think that through.”  
“I can clearly see that,” Junmyeon said still sitting on the bed while Sehun stood between his legs, fondling Sehun’s behind while nuzzling his face into the latter's hoodie, “Wanna accompany me into the shower?” He grabbed harshly, and bit through the cloth into Sehun’s hip who squeaked in shock.  
“Didn’t you have enough to eat, you cannibal?”  
“No, I didn't have enough of my husband in two months, I’m starving. You’re stripping or not?” Junmyeon challenged when he started pulling his jeans off, after he pulled his hoodie over his head.  
“Horny much?” Sehun struggled to get free from his hoodie while sending Junmyeon a challenging look, but had to realise he already lost when Junmyeon only had his underwear left, “Did I mention the loser gives the winner a massage, preferably of sexual nature?”  
“Oh man, it’s been some time since I was glad to be the loser,” Sehun pulled Junmyeon closer by his nape to drop a kiss on his crown. “Let’s shower.”

 

Only that nothing happened after the shower, both had been too tired to do anything and so they just fooled around in the suite with their glasses of liquor, listening to some barely audible music, only in their underwear and the hotel’s bathrobes, they had a lot of catching up to do once again, especially Junmyeon,  who ran into his father just a week ago.

 

Sehun let the pads of his fingers glide over the exposed skin of Junmyeon’s arm who was laying on the arm currently comforting while the latter had his legs tangled with him, resting his head in the crook of Sehun’s neck and his upper body snuggled into his side. His husband had a sudden breakdown earlier. Junmyeon thought that it hadn’t affected him, but talking about it must have broken the dam, again. Sehun couldn’t do anything else but hate Junmyeon’s father for treating him the way he did. It had been a miracle that Junmyeon hadn’t stumbled earlier into him, but given the sheer size of the actual airline it also didn’t come as a surprise.

 

Junmyeon had been at the headquarters to retrieve a couple of documents, letters of recommendation and reference. Sehun remembered that Junmyeon had texted him that day.

 

>> sender: a hot piece of 41 y/o

> | omg! sehun! the male receptionist  
is blatantly flirting with me!!!!!!!!  
/shock/  
---|---  
　　 | 　　 | < | That’s because you're the textbook  
def of sexiness /winks/  
　　 | 　　 | < | He wishes to get a bit of the seven  
course meal, tell him your husband  
is a 120 kg 2m tall hot and  
delectable sailor  
> | i can solely agree with the sailor part.  
> | wait, did you gain weight? like... 50kg?  
　　 | 　　 | < | ?? !!!!!!  
  |   | < | I’m filing for divorce!!!!!!!!!!  
> | then watch this tasty piece of meat get  
swept away by a handsome young man  
that matches all my points for ideal type  
> | i should give him my number and get it  
on with him, he strikes me as a switch  
and i do approve of that  
  |   | < | OKAY! I’m not filing for divorce! Stop  
it! You make me jealous! Just stop it! :’(  
> | that was payback for the young sailor  
last time  
> | i love you!  
  |   | < | i— I love you too <3  
> | but hes really hot tho~ maybe i should  
give it a shot?  
< | or him?  
  |   | < | WHAT?  
> | laters, looser~~  
  
 

Junmyeon had only called an hour later, probably gambling on  Sehun still not being aboard. He couldn’t breathe properly and his hiccupping was the worst Sehun had ever heard in his life. It took him fifteen minutes to calm Junmyeon down until he finally heard what happened. His father had been promoted to a chief-something throughout the years and worked permanently at the airline’s office, Junmyeon wasn’t aware of it and ran into him.

 

But seeing the man he hated and despised the most, that once had been his true and only role model left a dent in Junmyeon, and Sehun was there to flatten the dent left in the most important person to him.

 

Sehun leaned down and left a kiss on Junmyeon tear-stained face slowly rolling him on his back until he could settle between his legs and connected their lips. “Everything will be fine, love, everything.”  
“As long as I have you by my side all my dreams will come true and the biggest of them all is you. I love you, Sehun.”  
“I love you too, Junmyeon.” Sehun kissed along Junmyeon’s jaw, dropping every few millimetres pecks until he reached the angle of the jaw, his lips travelled down the neck, sucking on the tender skin, he lightly bit into it, eliciting soft moans from him.  
Junmyeon moved his hands from Sehun’s chest to his abdomen and further to the small of his back, pulling him closer into himself, angling his head backwards in the pillow to grant Sehun full access to his neck. Sehun, on the other hand, moved the pads of his fingers curiously over Junmyeon’s shoulders down to his chest, his thumbs travelling over Junmyeon’s perked up nipples that stood against the slightly cold breeze in the room. He moved his hands beneath the bathrobe, after he undid the knot and slid it off Junmyeon’s shoulders. Sehun moved his body upwards, looking down on Junmyeon, resting his hands on the latter’s abdomen. Junmyeon looked up to him, flushed in his face and his hands slowly running up and down Sehun’s naked thighs.  
“May I, Junmyeon?” Sehun slid his index finger along the seam of Junmyeon’s underwear, brushing his palm lightly past Junmyeon’s growing erection.  
“Please, Sehun, take me.” Junmyeon’s voice was low and a slight stutter from excitement and maybe nervousness surfaced.  
Once he had consent, Sehun pressed down on Junmyeon’s bulge, enclosing in his fist, the thumb already on the head of it, his other hand moved upwards to Junmyeon’s chest area, pinching a nipple between his fingers, his lips wandering from there over the Adam’s apple to the chin until they reached Junmyeon’s lower lip. Nibbling at the lower lip, Sehun dropped his lips on the former’s in an open-mouthed kiss which he gladly accepted. Sehun didn’t waste time and drove his tongue between the lips he loved so much. They kissed slowly, changing between pecks and Sehun twirling his tongue around Junmyeon’s, while he slowly worked his hand in his underwear, slowly pumping Junmyeon. Junmyeon pressed his fingers in Sehun’s buttcheeks when he pressed him closer, thrusting against Sehun’s hold, releasing a needy whine, “Sehun, please, work me open.”  
“Relax, Junmyeon, we have all the time, no need to rush things. I want you as much you want me, love.” But he complied, he let go off Junmyeon’s nipple and let go off his dick and was rewarded with another much needed whine. He hushed Junmyeon silent and pulled him by the hips closer, until his lower half rested on Sehun’s lap, the latter’s erection brushing past Junmyeon’s ass. He pulled off his underwear, watching how the erection sprung free. Enclosing his hand again around it, he gave it a tug, making Junmyeon thrust in his hand. “Where is the lube?”  
Junmyeon shut his eyes close, “I-in the bag over there,” he pointed down by his side on the ground. Sehun couldn’t reach it without bending Junmyeon in half, so he got up. He undressed himself, and when he got the lube, he couldn’t help himself, but bent down over Junmyeon, swallowing the head of Junmyeon’s dick who shrieked from the sudden unexpected skinship. 

  
Leaned over him, Sehun twirled his tongue around it. After a moment, he released Junmyeon’s dick from his mouth and straightened his back. Junmyeon looked at him with big eyes, visibly tensed and shuddering, part arousal and part confusion in his eyes.   
“Turn around, on your knees and hands.”  
Junmyeon swallowed at the authoritative tone in Sehun’s voice and the way the younger fisted his own dick. Upon that, Junmyeon scrambled on his knees, a weak ‘lube?’ spilling over his lips.  
“Not yet, dear husband.” Sehun settled back on the bed, kneeling behind Junmyeon who had already hidden his face in the pillow in his crossed arms. Sehun roughly patted his inner thighs to make the latter spread them further. Sehun enjoyed it, he knew that Junmyeon enjoyed being bossed around like that. Junmyeon couldn’t fathom what would await him.  
He tossed the lube next to Junmyeon’s head who looked back curiously, “Should I stretch myself?” Sehun shook his head in response, “Just enjoy it, relax, tell me when the kneeling becomes uncomfortable.” Instead of answering, Junmyeon took another pillow and placed in beneath his chest, wiggling into a slightly different position. He wasn’t aware of Sehun’s transfixed stare on his ass the whole time.

 

Sehun leaned over Junmyeon, covering his smaller body with his frame, the head of his own erection brushing the underside of Junmyeon’s cock as he inhaled sharply. Still leaned over him, Sehun let his hands wander over Junmyeon’s torso, making a sharp turn just before he reached the groin, passing the inside of his thighs, just shy of his balls, before moving his hands back, massing outside of said thighs. Junmyeon pressed his lower half into Sehun who grinded into him in response, “Please, Sehun...”  
Sehun leaned back, placing his palms on Junmyeon’s butt cheeks, pulling them apart, blowing hot air on the fluttering hole, bathing in the needy whines Junmyeon released.

 

“Junmyeon?”  
“Hmm?”  
“I swear, if you fart I’m divorcing you,” Sehun left a kiss on a mole on Junmyeon’s butt.  
“What?!” Junmyeon answered, irritated and clearly incredulous, he twisted his upper body around, swatting Sehun’s hands away and giving him the stink eye. “For that statement I should fart, you bastard!” Sehun had to be cautious, he once called Junmyeon in the middle of sex jokingly ‘daddy’ and Junmyeon halted all activities and kicked him out of the room.  
Sehun grabbed his hips again, pressing them down onto the cover, creating friction that made Junmyeon moan and Sehun grind into him, “Fuck.”  
He spread the cheeks again, lowering himself. He poked his tongue out and dragged it over Junmyeon’s hole who was silenced by a shaky inhalation right away and who tensed upon the skinship. Sehun licked the rim a couple of times to get Junmyeon used to the feeling of his tongue against his asshole and Junmyeon relaxed gradually. He moved it in circular movements around it, just shy of breaching the barrier.    
“Fuck, Sehun,” Junmyeon’s voice was muffled into the pillow. He kicked the lube into Sehun’s direction who took it gladly. Squirting a bit on his index finger, he lubed up the length of it, before circling the pad of it around Junmyeon’s fluttering hole, inserting it until the first knuckle. Junmyeon was tight, so tight it made Sehun’s dick twitch in excitement. Sehun worked Junymeon slowly open, one knuckle at a time, until his index finger moved smoothly in and out. He curled it, when he leaned forward and worked his tongue into the small opening. He removed the finger again and fucked Junmyeon with his tongue who was a whimpering mess and couldn’t fuck himself on the tongue when Sehun held him in place, changing between teasing and penetrating Junmyeon’s anus. Junmyeon would never admit he enjoyed being fucked like that, but Sehun knew how to analyse his husband, the moans he made and the way he cursed.

 

Sehun turned Junmyeon on his back, the latter looking at him a bit out of breath, “What are you planning, Sehun?”  
Sehun spread Junmyeon’s thighs to his sides and shamelessly grinded his erection against the other’s. He left kisses and sucked on Junmyeon’s lower lip, covering his lips with the next moan he made, French kissing him while continuing grinding into him. He detached himself from Junmyeon’s lips and enjoyed the feeling of Junmyeon’s short nails digging into his ass to keep him close, “Jun, I want to ride you, to fuck myself on you.”  
Junmyeon’s eyes shot open and he choked on spit when Sehun declared he wanted to bottom.  
“Are you sure?” Junmyeon seemed like he really couldn’t believe it. He pushed his body weight onto his elbows so he could have a better look at Sehun. He patted Sehun’s thigh and the younger lifted himself off Junmyeon so he could lean against the headboard of the bed.  
“I want to work myself open for you and, and you fuck into me, pound into me...”  
“Sehun?” suddenly the grip on Sehun’s ass turned rougher and Junmyeon pulled him forwards into his chest, his dick now resting between Sehun’s buttcheeks. ”Then tell me what the rimming was all about.”  
This was the tone that made Sehun lose everything, this deep and sultry yet low and slow voice when Sehun was afraid Junmyeon might drop a pet name any time soon and might say other stuff—he would take everything at this point. Sehun’s own voice turned soft, “I wanted to do something good for you...”  
Junmyeon peeked into Sehun’s face who looked bashfully away, he fondly massaged the ass in his hands, leaving pecks on Sehun’s neck and throat, his chest, every place he could reach, “I didn’t hear you, baby boy.” There it was.  
“I just want you to fuck me, make love to me. I missed you a shit load. Just please, love me, please, Jun!” Sehun played the whiney card because he knew Junmyeon couldn’t resist him that way, especially when he was topping.  
“Then why don’t you start fucking yourself on your fingers, like you promised?” Fuck, that was a shot in his own foot.  
“Ye-yes,” he uncapped the lube and squirted a good amount on his hand, using some of it around his asshole. He got in a kneeling position and placed his left hand in Junmyeon’s nape to stabilise himself. Junmyeon, on the other hand, gripped his hips and pulled him into his chest, his lips on Sehun’s collarbone who adjusted his grip on Junmyeon’s nape and slung his arm around it.  
“Take your time, baby boy, we have all the time in the world,” Junmyeon whispered in Sehun’s ear when he nibbled and sucked on his ear lobe, but this just made Sehun doing the opposite.

🜁 a.

Sehun circled his middle finger around his anus, trying to relax before he teased his hole, probing at it before slowly penetrating it, but he inserted until the second knuckle, in shock when Junmyeon suddenly tugged on his dick, “Maybe I’m a bit impatient to finally sink my dick in your tight hole, Sehun.” Sehun never understood why Junmyeon kept his top-tendencies secret until the wedding night.  
Sehun eagerly worked himself open, moaning Junmyeon’s name every time the other sucked on his skin or when Sehun curled his fingers into his prostate. He was at three fingers, when Junmyeon suddenly took hold of his hand, breathing heavily, “Let’s see if my baby boy did a good job.” He took the lube and spread a generous amount over his dick that was resting between Sehun’s cheeks, he spread them and forced Sehun up, aligning his dick with Sehun’s hole, he made him slowly lower himself, moaning at the tightness that slowly threatened to envelop him when he teased Sehun’s hole first before slowly penetrating it. Sehun was so tight when Junmyeon slid in and out of him, after Sehun got adjusted to the thick dick inside of him. Sehun moaned so loud Junmyeon was afraid the neighbours might knock, but he also couldn’t care less.  
“Didn’t you want to be a good boy and ride me?” Sehun moaned again, his fingers curling into Junmyeon’s shoulders when he nodded vigorously, eyes closed tightly. He started lifting himself off Junmyeon and almost slammed down because he legs suddenly gave out, “Sehun, you’re good? Should we stop?”  
Sehun was breathless, “N-no, I just need a second.” Junmyeon supported him under the thighs when Sehun lifted himself off again and slowly started fucking himself on Junmyeon’s dick who bathed in the glory that was Sehun’s tight ass and the moans when he called Junmyeon. The moment Sehun slammed back down, a fast rhythm developed, Junmyeon thrusted into him, making Sehun cry out, tears threatening his eyes, “Fuck, s-so good, Junm- please, fuck me. Fuck me hard.”  
Junmyeon picked up on the pace and thrusted unforgivingly hard into Sehun who was crying by now, sobbing like a mess when he praised Junmyeon in choked moans. Junmyeon suddenly gripped Sehun’s hips and rolled him onto his back, his shaft buried deeply in Sehun. With Sehun’s legs wrapped around his middle, he fucked into Sehun. The way Sehun started convulsing occasionally, Junmyeon knew that Sehun was on the edge. He reached for his dick, but Junmyeon swatted it away, pinning his arms over his head and a whine escaped Sehun.  
“You can do it without this, baby boy,” Junmyeon spoke under strain, his own release building up for some time. He slowed down his tempo, the sweat dripping off his forehead and curling down his back into his butt crack. The sliver of sweat on Sehun’s chest made him glow against the setting sun from outside.  
“Ju-Jun!”  
“You can do it.”  
Junmyeon was merciless when he was rubbing against Sehun’s prostate for some time already. Suddenly, Sehun convulsed with a choked breath, his ass sucking Junmyeon’s dick in, who almost tipped off the edge, when Sehun came untouched, shooting cum over his chest, Junmyeon chasing his own release, thrusting in and out.  
“Come inside me.” That was all Junmyeon needed when he buried his dick in Sehun’s sensitive hole, the cum filling his husband up, who whimpered from the continued friction.

 

Junmyeon braced himself against Sehun’s shoulders, breathing heavily. Sehun made an attempt of hugging, but Junmyeon felt way too sticky to do that. He moved, his cock still up Sehun’s ass and the latter hissed from the oversensitivity. Sehun seriously glowed when Junmyeon leaned back, assessing the numerous love bites on his torso, the cum over his chest, the sweat, he was beautiful. He protested when Junmyeon pulled out and tensed when he felt some cum flowing from his hole.  
“Shower, Jun. Shower.”  
Junmyeon chuckled and helped him up, thankful for the bathrobe under them that soaked up any body fluids.  
“Junmyeon?” Sehun held himself up with Junmyeon’s help, his face distorting in uneasiness when the cum started to flow from his hole, but he couldn’t clench from oversensitivity. “You went overboard this time,” he stumbled when he stepped into the bathroom, “but that might have been the best sex I ever had in my whole life, and every time is the best with you, but this time...” He dropped a sloppy kiss on Junmyeon’s lips.  
“I love you, Sehun.”  
“I love you, Junmyeon. You feel better now?”  
“If that’s what I get if I don’t feel good, I prefer to not feel good anymore,” Junmyeon gave Sehun a good slap on his naked ass, making him shriek, when he stepped into the shower.

  



	11. Godspeed : Diomedea

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **UNTAGGED WARNINGS APPLY!!!**
> 
> Diomedea means Albatross.
> 
> [The Rime of the Ancient Mariner](https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/43997/the-rime-of-the-ancient-mariner-text-of-1834) \- Samuel Taylor Coleridge
> 
> [...]
> 
> And I had done a hellish thing,  
>  And it would work 'em woe:  
>  For all averred, I had killed the bird  
>  That made the breeze to blow.  
>  Ah wretch! said they, the bird to slay,  
>  That made the breeze to blow! 
> 
> Nor dim nor red, like God's own head,  
>  The glorious Sun uprist:  
>  Then all averred, I had killed the bird  
>  That brought the fog and mist.  
>  'Twas right, said they, such birds to slay,  
>  That bring the fog and mist. 
> 
> The fair breeze blew, the white foam flew,  
>  The furrow followed free;  
>  We were the first that ever burst  
>  Into that silent sea. 
> 
> [...]

_Dear God, ..._

* * *

 

December 4, 2035.

Last physical sight on location: -77°50'59.99"S 166°39'59.99"E, McMurdo Air Station, Ice Runway.

Last confirmed location: 46°02'43.8"S 62°11'39.7"W

Aircraft: Lockheed C-5 Galaxy

Arrival at: SAEZ - Buenos Aires Itnl Airport

 

FLight time | 8h 33min |    
---|---|---  
Time of departure | 12/04/2035 16:12 | UTC + 12:00  
Time of arrival | 12/04/2035 03:45 | UTC - 03:00  
Flight distance | 7144.8km (3852nm) |    
Mean cruise speed | 449 kts (833km/h)  |    
  
  
The aircraft carriage lifted off unscheduled earlier at 10:48 on Dec 04, planned take-off at 16:12—last reported physical sight.  
Signal went missing over the Argentine Sea, barely any updates, seemed to be still on their way to Buenos Aires. Last contact with tower at the CRD, Comodoro Rivadavia airport, 02:03 UTC-03.

Throughout the years, technology has improved a lot; there was still a black box, or electronic flight data recorders, on aeroplanes, but most things had been transferred via satellite by now. A subset of information such as altitude, position and speed.

The aircraft stopped sending information seven hours into the flight, 02:03 UTC-03 on Dec 04 local time, ultimately at 02:13.

* * *

Melbourne, AU — Buenos Aires, AR

Distance | 7276 nautical miles (13.475km)  
via Strait of Magellan  
---|---  
Vessel speed | 24 kts (44.45km/h) — 1067 km a day  
Time | 12 days and 15 hours  
  
  
The MSC _Albatross_ set sails on Nov 23, leaving the Port of Melbourne on a sunny Friday, destination Buenos Aires, cargo consisting of liquified natural gas, and several export goods.  
They would transfer via the Strait of Magellan, a bit harder to navigate than the Cap Horn, but five hours shorter. Time of arrival Dec 04 at the Port of Buenos Aires.

Twenty-eight more days until Sehun and Junmyeon stop working as a navigator and pilot and start a new life, together.

Twenty-eight more reasons why the world seems to be against their union.

* * *

_Day 5 of 13 on the vessel, somewhere on the Pacific Ocean, Nov 29, Bridge._

The MSC _Albatross_ had been followed by an actual albatross since the freighter had passed New Zealand two days after they had left dock. One of the more superstitious Deck Ratings had freaked out when he saw him three days later. He had been Sehun’s assistant on the navigation watches to learn from him and pass the Magellan Strait for the first time.   
It had been over for him since he saw the sea bird and came running straight to Sehun, white like he had seen a ghost, as he knew Sehun had been a spiritual since he met him for the first time.

“Officer Oh, the ship’s followed by an albatross, Sir.”  
Sehun looked up from his map, his phone in hand, typing away some messages to Junmyeon who was visiting his mother. At least the connection on ships got way better and he didn't have to pay enormous and ridiculous amounts of money to send messages anymore. And the satellite connections had been a blessing for video calls.  
Sehun’s eyebrows drew dangerously close and he silently regarded the Rating, “Yeah, so what? What did you do back there anyway? And I already named him Anil. Son of the Air and the Sea.”   
Sehun understood the man’s freight; just a few days ago another cargo ship, smaller than theirs, went missing in a maelstrom, no-one speaks about it, but the seafarers know, they heard the tales. Radiograms had been passed through, but the government had been silent about it. Another ship had been arrested because they had been near where the accident happened. They had been arrested under pretence of having attacked the ship, despite having nothing of resemblances to weapons on board. The military ship was unable to intercept the radio message that had been sent out via secret channel. Shipping companies started to value their ships and crews more than the government throughout the years when things are supposed to be out of tales and horror stories happened more often. Year after year, things like that had been taught and explained to be scientific and of natural occurrences, the Bermuda Triangle being one of the more notable ones.   
In short: Conspiracy theories.

Junmyeon once passed over a maelstrom and it had him scarred for life, his fear of losing Sehun on the open water. But who would believe a pilot and his co-pilot on an ultra long-range flight, both having been sent of the see a specialist who didn’t see anything weird in them? They only believed him, because Junmyeon gave them the exact coordinates where the ship went down. They almost arrested him, only almost. He got out of it, keeping quiet whenever he saw things like that.   
The only local vortex’ were the Saltstraumen and Moskstraumen near Norway, and the Scottish Corryvreckan as the world’s biggest; but those appeared out of nowhere and disappeared just as fast and they also crushed and grinded bigger ships.

He started to close off, turning clingy whenever Sehun would be gone for another six to eight months, sometimes shorter. He didn’t understand why because it had never been a problem before. That was until Junmyeon, delirious in fever, spoke about what he saw and the puzzle solved itself. Sehun had only heard tales until then. He knew that his old Chief Mate had been, what he called, superstitious, but he started to understand and contacted him to get the information from someone as him.   
Over the years, long before Sehun and Junmyeon started working, there had been a society dedicated to the supernatural. People had jokingly talked about it, unaware that it was true. Cruise ships usually got away from the evil, but not always, while mostly cargo ships had been brandished by the heavens and waters, rapid alarm systems receiving a fine-tuning on aerospace level. Some navigators received special training to calculate risky manoeuvres to circumnavigate danger in close range.

The gods brandished the humans’ careless behaviour with every opportunity possible. At least Sehun could tell himself that a ship driving with LNG instead of HFO, LSFO or diesel was better for the environment.

“Anil? You named the evil?” The Rating looked devastated, “Are you cursing us?”  
Sehun smashed a rolled up map he always kept close over the Cadet’s head, “What did I tell you about speaking out of turn, and how dare you accuse me of such nonsense? The Albatross is protection, why is your dumbass even working on a ship called _Albatross_ ?” Sehun forcefully ripped his dress shirt out of his pants and pulled it up to reveal a tattoo of an albatross, not the same as Junmyeon, but inspired by what Junmyeon had told him about its meaning. It was his not-so-secret secret couple tattoo. He almost waited for the Cadet to make a cross, “The bird stretches his wings over the ship in protection and he’s a born flyer, just like my man. Don’t you dare talk shit about Anil again or _I’m_ going to haunt you, once I’m dead.” He threw a pointed finger at the youngster who saluted and apologised.  
“What can I do to help you, Navigator Oh?”  
Sehun looked back on his phone and threw a thumb over his shoulder, “Sit there and research about the albatross and what makes him so amazing at flying.”  
“Yes, Sir.”

He narrated it down to Junmyeon on the phone in an endless text message.

 

>> recipient: junmyeonnie <3

  |   | < | Can you believe that? Like...how dumb  
are some people??  
---|---|---|---  
> | 

sehun, im pretty sure i was an albatross in  
my prev life. so, hes still following you guys?  
thats good to hear. some people didnt learn  
about it yet. have some faith in that poor  
guy… you can be scary withthat face of yours,  
did you forget??

|   |    
> | hey, didnt you say youre supposed to pass by  
magellan? where the maelstrom was? |   |    
  |   | < | Did they find everyone yet?  
> | do you really want an answer? |   |    
  |   | < | No, not really, that was already an answer  
enough… So, how is Antarctica treating you?  
> | great, actually. but i still dont get why the us  
military asked me to work for them temporary…  
its scary, i swear by boreas. i dont like it one  
bit tho. |   |    
> | the people living here are such nice people and  
i learn a lot about things that never interested  
me tbh but IM FLYING A LOCKHEED C5 GALAXY  
NEXT MONTH TO BUENOS AIRES!!!!! |   |    
  |   | < | uh, congrats, ig?  
> | 

sehun! Im travelling the christchurch, nz and  
pick it up. I 👏 WILL 👏 LAND 👏 ON 👏 THE  
👏 ICE 👏 RUNWAY 👏 WITH 👏 A 👏 BIG 👏  
MACHINE 👏 !!! not the little shits. im talking  
freighter size!!!

|   |    
  |   | < | Ah, that explains a lot, I just looked it up.   
It’s still in service??  
> | its a modified ver, but still only the 9k km range |   |    
  |   | < | Wait, Buenos Aires?? When?  
> | dec 04. wait. YOU??? |   |    
  |   | < | OMG! SAME! What are the odds?? How long  
will you stay??  
  
 

Sehun was jumping up and down, waiting for the message.  
“Navigator Oh!”  
“Master Taylor!” Sehun almost dropped his phone and saluted with phone in hand, smashing it against his forehead.  
“Move,” the captain waved him off, “You seem excited.”  
“Oh, yeah, that,” Sehun bashfully scratched the back of his neck. “My spouse. He’ll fly to Buenos Aires for work at the same time we dock there.”  
“Fly there? Do they have an office there? You’ve been in my crew for four months already and I know nothing about my favorite navigator.”  
“Ah, no, he’s a freighter pilot for our shipping’s sister company.”  
“They don’t have a lot of pilots, am I right? But now that you mention it, they talked about a specific pilot a couple of times at the HQ and now that I think about it, your last name, the rank-highest captain and senior there is named Kim-Oh as well?”  
Sehun fell into silence, he wasn’t aware that Junmyeon was _that_ known throughout the company. Usually HQ had no idea what their sister companies did, but maybe through the close knitedness in the company, it was different? 

“Ah, Captain, may I speak as your Chief Navigator to you?” The captain nodded. “After the situation in the Magellan Strait, maybe we should use the Cape Horn route?”

From the current route, it added up to more than five hours plus to the overall route, but they still could adjust the bearing easily enough, but it still was a big change since between the Strait of Magellan and the Cape Horn a couple of 600km laid. But the Master understood Sehun’s concern and after consultation with the Chief Mate and Second Mate, they decided to finally change the bearing.

_Day 8 of 13 on the vessel, Nov 30, 2035, exterior stern._

Sehun was staring up into the sky, his eyes searching for the albatross that was soaring across the sky in the rough winds that day. His eyes stung from the cold and he huddled closer into his jacket. He had finished his morning shift two hours earlier and had stepped out for a cigarette. His beard at least maintained some warmth on his face and he was thankful for that. His thoughts started to wander to his past, the family he never had. It had been a gruesome task to talk with Jun about his family, or the non-existence of such. He had never met his mother or at least had no recollection of her, she died young, his father used to tell him. His father had remarried when he was ten-ish and he had never taken a liking to his stepmother with her two kids who had been older and one younger than him. She had been a bitch. Also a reason Sehun spent most of his time away from home at his uncle’s vessel.  
His step-siblings had been even worse, except the eldest. She always had been nice and caring to him, but she moved out soon being old enough and he was left with the boys who constantly bullied him for his lisp and everything he did.

His father died when he was fifteen in an ugly accident, they almost had been unable to identify him.  
Sehun got a third of the money, his uncle the other third and the witch was left with the rest of the money and the house, according to his father’s last will. But like the witch she was, she tried to get her hands on Sehun’s money as well, if it hadn’t been behind an iron wall known as his uncle and his late father’s older brother.

He had only told his uncle that he was gay when he visited him to bring him the invatation for his wedding. He had been afraid of rejection and his uncle needed a long time to come to terms with the fact that his only nephew had been gay, but once he met Junmyeon, his fear had dissipated.

His thoughts strayed further and his mind was filled with thoughts about Junmyeon and he felt himself smiling. He would call him later, telling him how much he loves him and how grateful he his to have someone as fantastic and loving as Junmyeon.

_Dec 01, 2035, Christchurch Airport._

Junmyeon was ecstatic, he was literally shaking from how excited he was. He felt as nervous and excited like on his wedding day when he and Sehun walked down the aisle. Maybe he shouldn’t feel the same excitement, he already felt it when he finally flew the Airbus A 350-900 ULR and his wedding day was something meaningful. But he was allowed to fly a military aircraft _and_ land it on the ice runway. He had called Ed and Nikita in the middle of the night, waking them up from their sleep because he was so giddy. And he was also designated to take off from the runway and fly the Lockheed to Buenos Aires, loaded with cargo.

The soldiers had been hard to approach, but at least his co-pilot was nice enough and spend some time outside of work with him, since he had been a couple of times working in Antarctica already as pilot. He had shown Junmyeon around Ross Island as much as possible. The others seemed to be more timid around him, maybe also because for certain he was listed on some of their lists as minor threat since he was the one to report the maelstrom a couple of years ago and had close connections to a seafarer known as Sehun Kim-Oh, an outstanding navigator that hadn’t saved a ship once or twice, but a handful of times, working for one subdivision of the world’s biggest shipping companies.

The American military he picked up together with the cargo in Christchurch had been the real assholes, thinking they knew better and refusing to board the plane if a non-militar was flying. Being married to Sehun, however, had strengthened Junmyeon’s self-esteem so that it was comparable to a skyscraper and he had given the militars an ear full and threatened to not let them board if they don’t suck up their pride _and board the fucking plane otherwise you can watch how you get there and take a canoe and freeze to death._ The general had towered a head over Junmyeon and had probably twice his weight and muscle mass. Junmyeon stood before him, one hand on his hip and the other equipped with a cigarette between index and middle finger that he jabbed into the man’s face giving him a lecture about he might have no fucking idea how an aircraft operates and that he has special permission due to his training and all that jazz. The general had been quiet the whole flight in the end.

The rest of the men had been hostile throughout his stay in McMurdo but Junmyeon couldn’t care less, they are at his mercy. And he had a feeling he was suddenly spending so much time away from civilization was because the company’s management had warned him beforehand when they had told him that he has to stay for some time in Antarctica. It wasn’t just once that he saw a maelstrom or similar. He sent out warning via channel when he saw one building up in clear weather and relayed the information as fast as possible.

Antarctica was weird in the summer, 24-hour daylight and he started to wonder how people were able to live with that, especially since in June, the sun did not rise at all. This also meant no nightflight and that was a nice change.   
On Dec 02 a sudden message came in that the Lockheed has to take off earlier than planned. Junmyeon and his co-pilot checked the time zones and it would end in an night-flight. The load masters seemed to be agitated ever since the loading of the freighter started in the morning and Junymeon didn’t like it one bit. Saying the behaviour was suspicious was an understatement and every conversation stopped when he or his co-pilot as well as the Lockheed engineers stepped into a room and the military personnel was present. At some point Junmyeon had enough, even the aircraft was guarded with heavy weaponry.

He called Sehun. The call almost immediately connected.  
_“Jun-uaaaah,”_ Sehun was yawning on the other end. After noisily smacking his lips and another round of yawning he was finally awake.  
“Oh god, sorry, Sehun, I forgot about the time difference or did I wake you up?”  
“Love, that’s basically the sam—uaaaah, how late is it? Ah shit, we changed time zones just now.”  
“You want to go back to sleep?” Junmyeon bit on his thumbnail, cigarette securely placed between his fingers while he had the other occupied with a mug of steaming hot coffee. He listened to Sehun getting up, mumbling to himself, while he adjusted his headset’s volume up.  
“Jun? Love?”  
“Uh, yes? Ah sorry, I was spacing out,” he narrowed his eyes on an undefined point at the horizon.  
“You’re calling from the secured line. Something the matter?”  
“Mhm,” Junmyeon turned around, checking his surroundings, and greeted a passant that was walking by. “I don’t trust the whole operation, they’re all so secretive, like… even the aircraft is guarded with machinery.”  
_“What?”_ Sehun who had listened throughout the whole rambling was suddenly wide awake.  
“U-hu, it’s weird. Gotta contact the headquarters that they pull me off this job after Buenos Aires. The whole operation reeks of foulness and the labeling on the loaded cargo isn’t adding up.”  
“What do you mean?”  
“That’s what I’m talking about. They’re not labelled at all,” Junmyeon had somewhere during the conversation switched into Korean that sounded foreign on his own tongue, “And I heard some of the villagers talk about military operations near the former nuclear plant.”  
“You...what?”  
_“_ Yeah, I checked, it’s closed since ‘72. But I don’t get why they wanted me as a pilot, I’m blacklisted as we all know. ”  
“Do you think they will try to set you up?”  
“That would also mean to set up the co-pilot, the loadmasters and the flight engineer. All of them are military personnel, I’m the only civilian in that case and I’m not even an American.”

 

“Junmyeon, stay safe. I love you. I call you back as soon as possible if I get information in.”  
“You guys also stay safe, more and more maelstroms appeared around this zone, it seems to follow your route, but I can’t be sure. I love you too. I love you too, Sehun, let’s meet safely in Buenos AIres. May Albion protect your ship safely and Anil spread his wings in protection over your set sail.”  
“You got so spiritual throughout the years...”  
“Sehun, we both saw things throughout the years we tried to explain scientifically but couldn't.”  
Sehun hummed at the other end, while Junmyeon was sipping his coffee that turned cold and lit another cigarette. Silence followed on both ends.  
“Sehun, we’re suddenly supposed to take off almost six hours earlier. We’re going to do a night flight with a heavy jet, a freighter filled with whatever it is and that’s going to land in Buenos Aires. I’m scared.”  
Junmyeon really was, his whole world view cracked and shifted when he was introduced to the gods’ wrath. He wasn’t sure if a pilot school was a good idea, but if he could utilise it to do something good, he would.

 

_Dec 04, 2035, ice runway, 10:47 UTC+12._

The aeroplane took off. 

 

_Dec 04, 2035, Argentine Sea, 02:03 UTC-03._

The signal vanished from the radars in a flashing red light at 02:03 UTC-03.  
Around the same time, half an hour earlier, a tanker loaded with LNG vanished at the same coordinates. Attempts at sending radiograms failed on both sides. The weather report for the Argentine Sea had been clear all night. Satellite monitoring came up with no results whatsoever. There was a blind patch.

 

_Dec 04, 2035, Matchpoint 46°02'43.8"S 62°11'39.7"W, 01:43 UTC-03._

The Chief Mate rang the alarm on the freighter, awakening the rest of 23 member crew on the ship. The Chief Engineer had reported a total failure of the ship’s engine just minutes before, shortly after Sehun’s projections of maps had stared flimmering and the compass turned frantic, the magnetic pole unable to locate. Sehun had stayed outside the bridge for a couple of minutes, trying to find out why his brain was reporting something obscure. The moment he realised what it was, the system failed.  
“Chief Mate, when did the stars vanish, I thought it was supposed to be clear all night?”  
“What?”  
Everything after that went down for everyone in slow motion. The Master was woken up and the engineer came through. The alarm onboard was deafening in the void the ship was in, the darkness swallowing every sound and the ominous red light of the emergency light enhancing it.  
Everyone was on the bridge. The ship was still drifting, but the creaking of metal made a shiver run down Sehun’s spike who was frantically trying to figure out which location they should be at. The ship seemed to be a ghost ship. The silence was suddenly interrupted by something crashing against the window. Startled, the men looked outside and Sehun saw the albatross laying there. His blood ran cold and he staggered outside towards where the sea bird laid. It was breathing heavily, the wings in weird angles outstretched and blood at his head. Sehun’s throat dried up when he slumped down before the bird, who croaked at him in a sad attempt, and tears welled up in Sehun’s eyes. He knew he wouldn’t get out of the silenced sea. Cradling the albatross in his arms, he sat back against the outer wall, silently starting to pray when the bird stopped breathing.  
“Navigator Oh,” a hand dropped to Sehun’s shoulder and startled the man out of his daze. One of the other Deck Ratings sat down next to him, “Is that the legendary Mare Tenebrosum the tales talked about, the storm with no return?”  
“Mate,” Sehun’s voice was choked with sobs, “I’ll never be able to see my best friend and husband again, my friends and family. We’re fated with death.” He cradled the albatross to his chest, swaying back and forth, “Speak your last prayers, we never know when the storm will hit us, you can try calling your family, if the signal isn’t interrupted, but this is our end.”

Sehun fumbled with his pipe Junymeon gifted him a few years prior, when the wind started picking up. With the albatross still in his embrace, he lit the tobacco and inhaled deeply, salty tears burning in his eyes, the smoke burning his nostrils. Inside, the radio operator morsed emergency codes out on every frequency possible, hoping a passing satellite was strong enough to pick up the distress signal. Either way, they didn’t know if a ship could even reach them, or an aeroplane. Sehun fumbled with his phone, staring at the picture of Junmyeon as his home and lockscreen. Tears spilt over his eyes, and he felt the sailor next to him dropping his head to his shoulders, sorrowful cries emerging from his throat. He had just become a father a few months back and now he would never see his girl growing up and getting old with his wife unless a miracle happened. Commotion from inside made them both shoot up and the sailor helped Sehun up who refused to let go of the albatross.

The superstitious Deck Rating was throwing a punch at the Engineer who just barely dodged and screamed bloody murder. He turned around, his eyes zeroing in on the albatross in Sehun’s arms. His face distorted, his eyelids twitched and his grin so wide it had to hurt. He had a split open lip and his skin colour was deathly white. He had strands of hair in his hands and Sehun saw balding bloody spots on his head. He had a feeling of what was going on. The Deck Rating just stared unmoving at Sehun before his eyes rolled back and he started to laugh.  
The sailor next to Sehun cried at him to run the moment the Deck Rating stared at Sehun again, before making a dash for the door to the outside of the bridge, dodging a punch thrown by one of the Engine Ratings. Sehun had only a second to adjust the pipe and the albatross before making a run for it. He knew he was the one to be the reason for the Mare Tenebrosum in the maniac’s eyes. His only advantage was that he knew every nook and cranny of the freighter he was on like the back of his hand. The only thing that could give him away was the smell of the pipe, but he knew the Chief Mate was tailing the Deck Rating.

Ten minutes later, someone called out for Sehun. He was shaking and sweating from the run he did around the ship. The Deck Rating had committed suicide by jumping off the ship when he was cornered. He had cursed Sehun throughout the whole time.

 

_Dear God, …_

_01:59 UTC-03, T-14._

Junmyeon was nervous; something felt wrong and for once, it wasn’t the aircraft. He felt it in his bones, something was awfully wrong. And the awful general sitting behind him wasn’t helping. Why would they need guns on a freighter, unless if they were to kill Junmyeon afterwards or await trouble? But he received a coded message hours before take-off that he would stay safe, but you never know in this day and age.

He tapped the steering wheel in a rhythmic pattern, starting with the pinky finger, followed by every pad of his fingers until the index finger. Something still felt off.  
“Can you stop the fucking tapping, dog-eater?” Someone kicked against his seat. With wide eyes and furrowed brows he turned around and waved his hand in front of his face before he turned back around and turned off the autopilot.  
“Fucking redneck, are you trying to kill us? And I’m Korean, you fucktard.” He couldn’t care less. “If you want me to incur the risk of possible loss of directional control, stop being an ass and shut your fucking mouth, because I’m not sure if my co-pilot here is in the right state of mind to control the aircraft currently.” He threw an outstretched thumb at his co-pilot who just vomited earlier. “And I know for damn sure that none of you has the licence to fly this aircraft.” He radioed the next frequency at the Comodoro Rivadavia airport for the next frequencies until Buenos Aires.

“Captain Kim, CRD, tower speaking..”  
“Lockheed C minus five Galaxy, Captain Kim speaking.”  
_“Captain, can you do us a favour and report any sightings of a cargo ship that vanished from the radars at 46°02'43.8"S 62°11'39.7"W?”_ The co-pilot tapped the coordinates into his computer.  
Junmyeon was silent, he would be passing right over that point—he wasn’t the only one supposed to pass that point that night. “Tower, are we talking about the MSC _Albatross,_ under Australian flag with Master Bernd Taylor?” The general behind him moved, Junmyeon lifted a warning hand.  
“I’m not authorised to t—”  
“Are we?!” He was calm but his voice carried authority.  
“... yes.”  
“When was the last contact?”  
_“Zero One Four Three local time.”_ Junmyeon was seven minutes away.  
“I’ll report any sightings of anything immediately at any frequency. Lockheed C minus Five Galaxy. Over.” The radio crackled the last time. He adjusted the altitude down. 

_02:03 UTC-03, T-10._

“What are you doing?” the general stood behind him and Junmyeon was tempted to make harsh movements with the freighter, but he didn’t know what he had on board.  
“What I was asked to. But I can say for certain that we won’t make it alive.”  
“What!?” the general tried grabbing the steering wheel, but Junmyeon was faster and gripped his wrist.

Junmyeon was still calm, but he used all his force. “If you’d be more observant, you’d seen that our compass is spinning circles and we’re slowly losing altitude while I’m trying to work against it.” He tapped the screen to emphasise it, he was pulling up while the nose of the aircraft seemed to bow down.  
“And If you look outside, you’ll see nothing. There was light before, there isn’t anymore.”  
Junmyeon pulled something from his breast pocket and unfolded a picture of his mother, Sehun and himself. He leaned back into his seat while the co-pilot tried bringing the plane back up. “It’s no use, we already lost orientation a while back.”  
“WHAT DO YOU MEAN!?” The general was screaming at him.   
“Sir, with all due respect, we lost contact with the outer world the second I said ' _overʼ_. We vanished into the storm and dropped off the radar.” Tears started pricking at his eyes, but he refused to wipe them off. He knew what it meant. He took hold of the co-pilots arm and squeezed it, “It’s no use, the electronic is already starting to fail.” He turned around again, his cabin starting to be filled with people, all extremely angry looking, some with their weapons drawn, pointed at his forehead. He inclined his head further, smiling with tears in his eyes. “I don’t know what you pieces of shit brought onto this airplane and thought you’d do in Argentina with it, but it was enough to bring a Mare Tenebrosum onto us. Speak your last prayers, we’re going to die.”

“Mare Tenebrosum?” the flight engineer asked. He was older than Junymeon, he knew, and it didn’t come to surprise he had no idea what Junymeon was talking about.

Three more minutes.  
“It’s a seafarer talk about a storm that suddenly appears in the dark of the night, and the sailors realise when they can’t see the sky anymore for navigation. They’ll be haunted by the spirits of the dead that lost their lives in this storm and they won’t survive it. The most common tale is that they’ll see old ships passing by them, muzzle flashes from canons, the screams of the ones that drowned. The sailors won’t be able to escape it. We won’t too.”

One more minute.   
A sudden explosion resounded in the cockpit and the electricity died, both turbine engines burned and the aircraft nosedived with high velocity in the direction of the sea. A thunder slashed through the dark and revealed a cargo ship that was sinking, but not quite. It was pulled down.

Time of death: 02:13 UTC-03, Argentine Sea.  
_Captain Junymeon Kim-Oh, Age 43.  
_Cause of death: Explosion.

The ship stopped some time after the push of the last turbines was over. The storm picked up, the waves started growing. Sehun fell silent a couple of minutes ago. His eyes searching the heavens. One wave crashed over the bow of the nose and the ominous creak of metal resounded into the noise. He wasn’t sure, but he saw something in the water that shouldn’t be there. Two other sailors had comitted suicide and a few others had vanished from the scene, just ten people were left on the bridge. The screams pierced their ears, but it was different from the tales, but none survived to tell otherwise.

The master wrote everything down in his logbook that would hopefully survive to tell the lore.

Over the deafening screams, Sehun suddenly picked up an explosion. His face against the dark skies, an airplane overhead soared through the sky, turbines ablaze and he felt something break apart in his heart and he knew for sure. An explosion of the aircraft of such intense force that shouldn’t be and that was all it took. A shift in vision and a crack through a mirror was everything Sehun felt before he slumped down in a scream against the heavens, cursing everything in its vicinity. The rain was piercing his skin and he didn’t know if he was bleeding from his face or if the rain hit that hard. The albatross in his arms felt hot and Sehun understood the lore of Coledrigde’s mariner who had to carry the albatross he killed around his neck. He felt the heavens and waters punishing him for the human meddling with life.

Sehun was ripped at his neck, staring at a sailor he didn’t recognise in his daze dead in the eye, not understanding or hearing a word. He received a blow to the face and was catapulted back into the gruesome reality.

“—ken! Sehun! KRAKEN!”  
Sehun just stared at him, eyes wide. No-one had time to react in anyway when suddenly a giant arm of something octopus-like crashed down on the middle of the cargo and more soon followed. The Kraken was about to pull down the ship with all the crew left. Sehun had seen right earlier, the eye of it observing Sehun at the reiling earlier.

The ship was pulled down and Sehun just lost consciousness.

He awoke under water, drifting in absolute silence. He didn’t know if this was the afterlife or if he was still dying. His body was screaming to fight against the watery grave, his lungs begging for air, but his mind was filled with absolute vastness. He was lulled into soft light and everything felt so surreal to him, like he was just in an underwater shoot. He felt his consciousness fading again and rolled is body in the water, the cargo ship under him, still in the Kraken’s death grip when he felt something brushing past his cheek. He grabbed blindly for it. His dazed mind was still surprised to see so clearly in the water.   
It was the photo of him, Junmyeon’s mother and the latter himself, Junmyeon always carried around.

 

 

 

 

>  
> 
> _"Jun, you still didn't tell me about the albatrossʼ meaning."  
>  _ _Junmyeon rolled on his side and slid his other arm around Sehun who laid on Junmyeon’s other arm. The sunlight breaking through the roof of leaves cast soft shadows along Junmyeon’s face, one spot hitting Junmyeon right in the eye and Sehun was lost in the soft brown of his irises._
> 
> _“You’re telling me you didn’t google it until now?” Sehun abashedly averted his eyes from his husband of three years, scratching his cheek, he made a noise in the back of his throat. Embarrassed, he tried rolling around, but Junmyeon kept him in place and surprising him by pressing his lips to Sehun’s._
> 
> _“You know that albatrosses are the ninth biggest bird species? And can fly? Not like penguins, for example?” Sehun nodded his head, feeling a little light-headed from the whole situation. “And it’s kinda cheesy, but it also reminds me of us, the sea bird who’s dynamite once it is in the air, an outstanding flier?”_
> 
> _“That’s really cheesy, but so are you. Aren’t they horrible at take-offs and landings?”_
> 
> _“You bet they are,” Junmyeon lovingly caressed Sehun’s face and Sehun suddenly felt like in the early days of their relationship. “And they should be every engineer’s favourite, because their wings are maximally streamlined, the dynamic soaring is no joke. And don’t get me started on their highest speed and the wing-to-body ratio. They can take up speeds up to 101 kilometres per hour, and their range is no joke. They can follow ships for days, they fly thousands of kilometres without touching ground once for weeks, they even sleep in flight.”_
> 
> _“Nerd,” Sehun commented under his breath._
> 
> _“Shut it, Sehun, you asked for it.” Junmyeon jabbed him into the rips. “Do you want to know about their courting ritual and dances?” Junmyeon laughing was the most beautiful sound. “I see you’re interested. The albatross’ conduct a difficult pattern of dances with its partner and therefore, mating rituals take up several seasons until the dance becomes synchronised. And they mate for life, and most species can survive upwards of fifty years, the oldest known had been 66. And during the hatching, the parents take turns and never leave the egg. While one is on the hunt for food, the other stays with the egg, dehydrated, hungry and everything included until their partner comes back and they change, that goes on until the egg hatches. And young chicks teach themselves flying, when the parents are already back on the Pacific Oceans. An albatross not able to fly is a lost albatross.”_
> 
> _“Shit, you’re really a nerd. I only know Coldrigde’s lore about the mariner who shot the albatross and was cursed for life.”_
> 
> _“A dead albatross cannot fly and that’s what they can do the best, to fly.”_
> 
> _“Be my albatross partner for life?” Sehun looked up and dropped a quick kiss on Junmyeon’s chin because he couldn’t reach anything else from his position laying on Junmyeon’s arm._
> 
> _“Who’s cheesy now?”_
> 
> _“I love you, Jun.”_
> 
> _“I love you too, Sehun.”_

Sehun’s dead body looked like he was dancing in the water, the arms outstretched from his body, turning around his axis, a weird glow falling upon him, but a serene expression on his face.

Time of death: 02:23 UTC-03.  
_Navigator Sehun Kim-Oh, Age 41.  
_Cause of death: Drowning.

Next season, two different albatross pairs nested: a male and a female chick that would be destined to become partners for life after they came back to the island six years after they had left it. The male would court the female over the course of seasons on the island until their dances became synchronised and they form a pair after ten years, six of them airborne, four of them ashore.

 

_Dear God,_

_You’re a fucking awful being for ripping me  
_ _and Sehun apart. You fucking stupid asshat._

_Sincerely, Junymeon_

 

_Dear God,_

_I hope you just burn in hell until the end of  
_ _time. No-one likes you anyway._

_Fuck you, Sehun_

* * *

_December 2035 and early 2036, Headlines:_

 

 

 

 

> _Aircraft Lockheed C-5 And Cargo Ship Went Missing On South Pacific Ocean_
> 
> _First Aircraft Wreckage Parts Wash Up On Shore Of Chile_
> 
> _Still No Sightings Of Black Box Or Ship_
> 
> _Governments Remain Silent About Alleged Attack Against Bueons Aires_
> 
> _Distress Signal Of MSC Albatross Hints At Mare Tenebrosum — How Real Is The Sailor’s Lore?_
> 
> _World Biggest Shipping Company Comes Forward_
> 
> _US Government Under Harsh Attack After Cargo From The Aircraft Is Retrieved In The Argentine Sea_
> 
> _Black Box From Lockheed Stopped Pinging Two Days Ago — Search Team Reveal The Pinging Appearing In Different Parts Of The World_
> 
> _Aircraft And Ship Crew Declared Dead — Families Still Hope_
> 
> _Shipping Company and Families Sue American Government_

 

_January 19, 2037, Coast of Lan Maris, 190 nautical miles outside on the sea._

Sightings of an abandoned ship, a supposed ghost ship, reached the Coast Guard around early morning. Attempts at contacting the ship had been unsuccessful.  
Reports came in that it was the MSC _Albatross_ that went missing in December 2035.   
The Coast Guard entered the ship a day later, after it was pulled by tugboats into its original harbour. The ship looked like it shouldn’t be able to swim anymore, deep dents from something that crashed with force skywards into it and the ship mostly reminded onlookers of a severely indented can that was left to rust in the sea. On the bridge, the officers found the radio still sending distress signals, an albatross sitting unbothered on the radar mast as if he was guarding the ship, the missing Lockheed C-5 Galaxy Black Box and the Captain’s logbook, analogue and digitally in perfect condition, along with a detailed cargo list that should have been vaporized in the explosion that ripped the aircraft apart.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So. This marks the end of a hell of a journey, literally. I don't even know what to say, except a big fucking thank you to arrow who was betaing my story while she was also correcting Pepper's [Cloud 9](https://archiveofourown.org/works/17124794).
> 
> Throughout the story the image of the sea bird flashed up via Junmyeon’s tattoo in chapter seven, the end was mapped out since chapter six. And Chris Jordan's documentary [ALBATROSS](https://vimeo.com/264508490) helped me a lot, even if I was crying so fucking much towards the end. [This website](http://the-toast.net/2013/09/26/bird-month-albatross/) had been the start back in chapter six/seven and for other informations I consulted Wikipedia and the [Smithsonian](https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/the-amazing-albatrosses-162515529/).
> 
> The end might seem weird to the reader, especially since I chose a very realistic approach for the whole story and this made it kind of hard to suddenly have the supernatural end. I'm sorry for killing off both Junmyeon and Sehun, but the end would have been otherwise kind of lame but sweet. And I wanted to write a dramatic and sad end for once, even if arrow seemed to be quite distraught when I hinted at a non-happy ending.  
> But this end felt right to me, everything else might have felt wrong to me.
> 
> Love,  
> J


End file.
